


Despair & Ruin

by Cyelle



Category: TsukiPro the Animation, ツキウタ。 | Tsukiuta.
Genre: Angst, Eventual romance and fluff, Fantasy AU, M/M, More pairings to be added later - Freeform, OOC characters, Post-Apocalypse, but I don't want to leave anyone out, but not the focus of the story, expect this to go on for a long time, feel like I'm cramming too many characters in here, lots of headcanons, magical universe, some degree of violence, will have OCs at some point
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-22
Updated: 2019-08-02
Packaged: 2019-08-06 00:48:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 77,629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16378238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cyelle/pseuds/Cyelle
Summary: The world is on the brink of destruction, humanity has given up all hope of survival....In the darkness, those who rise are....?





	1. ~Prologue~

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, everyone~  
> I'm here with a new multi-chapter in Tsuki!
> 
> This AU was inspired by multiple sources like Attack on Titan, Tsukino Empire and Machine Elements. There might be a few more but I don't really remember it all ^_^;
> 
> I might take a while in updating this work since it's a bit long and I still have to sort out a lot in the plot, but I hope you all will be patient with me!
> 
> ( _bows_ )
> 
> Well then, enjoy reading and tell me what you thought in the comments!

 

 

 

 

**_2197 A.D._ **

 

_The world is peaceful, nations having reached an agreement on co-existence. People have never been more prosperous; technology has advanced to a level where it is now common-place in everyday life. Crime rates have dropped, thanks to increasing pay and employment opportunities. Children are encouraged to follow their dreams, and laughter can be heard everywhere, brightening up the lives of others._

_Humans have grown to be more confident in their actions and it can be seen in the developments and inventions made in the past few years. There is no fear of war or hunger, thanks to the efforts in demilitarization and agriculture. Everyone always looks forward to a brighter day; a more beautiful day. Pain and sorrow are just bad dreams. But…._

**_Nightmares will soon be a reality._ **

****

_It started off small; unnoticeable. Tiny violet pinpricks started appearing on the bodies of a few people, people who had no relation to one another. Doctors brushed it off as nothing serious, since there were no irregularities in the human body and therefore thought to be only a simple skin rash._

_People once again went back to their lives, thinking that it would fix itself. The pinpricks only grew, forming thin sickly violet vines that encircled the victim’s body. Scientists began to research as to find a reason why, but it was too late._

_As though triggered by some external catalyst, the purple marks spread rapidly across the body, covering it completely and killing the victim. But that was not the end of the horror. Those killed by the vine became mindless creatures, attacking others indiscriminately; no one was safe, be it humans, animals or plants. Living creatures bitten by the dead creature became infected with the virus and plants withered._

_People tried to fight back but normal weaponry were of no effect against the creatures, dubbed as “Vine Puppets”; the only way was to completely disintegrate them, which was impossible without the use of nuclear weapons. The world slowly fell into ruin and humanity was on the verge of extinction._

**_However, in the midst of the darkness enveloping the planet, a new hope was born._ **

_People who previously hid away in fear of persecution rose from the shadows, pushing back the Vine Puppets and creating safe places in different parts of the world. They protected the weak and risked their lives to save survivors left behind in the harsh world. Many lost their lives fighting, but they forged ahead so that the information they discovered would one day lead the future generations to a brighter future._

_A future where those of their kind would no longer be persecuted, a future where people wouldn’t have to fear to survive the day, where they wouldn’t have to scavenge for food; a world where the ground wasn’t brown and dry and the sky blood-red;  a world where peace reigned once more. These people are…._

**_Magicians._ **

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

**A hundred years later (2297 A.D.), Japan**

A figure in a cloak stood upon a hill, icy eyes staring emotionlessly at the destruction below. The land was still barren, deep crevices littered across every expanse of the earth; dangerous to any unknowing traveler. Corpses were strewn everywhere, hundreds of Vine Puppets lay in various states of devastation.

The figure did not feel any satisfaction or happiness at having taken out so many of humanity’s enemies; joy was a foreign emotion now. Turning back, the figure moved in the direction of Japan’s only base and safe place against the vile creatures: Moon Garden.

A magic circle formed around the unknown person’s feet and a ring of light spread out through the land. Energy built up, enough to crush any weaker person under the pressure.

 

**“Celestial: Star Fall.”**

A whisper and the bloody sky tore open; silver spheres of energy resembling shooting stars fell, leaving trails of light shimmering in their wake. The space where the corpses lay was battered by the descending stars, the ground shaking and tremors were felt even in regions far beyond. Soon, there was nothing left there except large and deep craters; the only proof that a battle had occurred there.

The figure walked on, unmindful and unaffected by the chaos and carnage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you made this far, thank you!  
> Please leave a review since I still don't know if I will continue this.
> 
> This AU will definitely have OCs and will become OC-centric at times since the story runs that way. There will also be a lot of my headcanons regarding the idols, as I have my own ideas on familial relationships between characters totally unrelated, according to canon. They will also be OOC most of the time. If this is not your cup of tea, I give you fair warning; please don't read this and later comment that you hate such ideas and send me flames.
> 
> While I really couldn't care less about the negative comments, I have no patience with such people and will not entertain them. This work is purely for my own satisfaction and I've thought over this for weeks before even putting it into words. If you still want to read this but aren't interested in the OOC chapters, I'll post notes at the start of each chapter to warn you.
> 
> Other than that, I welcome criticism and ideas! If you want to talk to me personally, send me a message or drop me an ask on Tumblr [@cyon-tsuki-writings](https://cyon-tsuki-writings.tumblr.com/)


	2. The first hurdle

 

 

 

 

**July 28, 2303**

 

 

 

The general of Japan’s forces, Tsukino Mikoto, stood in front of an ornate door. He raised his hand to knock, but hesitated just as his knuckles neared the wood. He did remember the last time he had intruded on these premises and was not willing to have a déjà-vu moment.

However, the decision was taken out of his hands as a voice called out from within.

“You can come in, General.”

The door swung open on its own accord and General Tsukino paused for a split second before stepping inside. The interior had changed a lot from his last visit, he noted with interest. It was bare and cold before; while the icy chill still remained -probably due to the nature of the room’s occupant- it was no longer barren.

Papers were strewn about, filled with various runes and calculations; some were even written in multiple languages. There were also many magical devices, each one glowing a different color and showing a sequence of readings. Books were piled up on the desk and in the corners of the room; the only clean place seemed to be the bed which was untouched, as if it was not slept in for days.

Movement caught his eye and Mikoto turned to see his target stepping out from the bathroom, a towel on his head. Smiling slightly in amusement, he jested, “You are the only one in this entire base who would stand before me in such a fashion, you know.”

The other only raised an eyebrow. “I do not fear you and this is my domain. It is not required of me to be formal.” The general inclined his head, giving him that.

“Why are you here?”

 _‘As usual, straight to the point,’_ Mikoto thought, as he stood straighter and his demeanor turned serious. “I would like you to become part of an active team.”

“No.”

The quick reply was expected but still disheartening. But nevertheless he would not leave until he had accomplished his goal.

“There are no more teams to be deployed against the Vines.”

That caught the other’s attention and he straightened, directing a frown at Mikoto.

“What do you mean?”

“Exactly as it sounds, Sh-“

“Albion.”

The general paused, raising an eyebrow in mild curiosity. “Pardon?”

“Do not address me by that name. I will be called Albion.”

“As you wish.” Mikoto sighed, _‘So this is how cold your heart has become…’_

“We had two active teams on the field, but one unit was hurt badly in an ambush while escorting the Field Research Unit back to Headquarters. While they can return to active duty in a few weeks, they are still part of the Defense section. I cannot send them out on battles.”

Albion hummed. “And the other?”

“They were killed two days ago. Somehow the data collected by the scanners were faulty and the amount of Vines they found at the site was overwhelming. We have a moment’s respite thanks to the team; the leader used Star Fall to eradicate them all at the cost of his life.”

Silence reigned in the room for a few minutes, before Albion sat on his bed and cast an assessing glance at the general. “So you want me on the field because there’s no one else you can send?”

“No.”

“….what?”

A sigh; he seemed to be doing that a lot lately. “I don’t intend to send you alone; I want you to lead a team.”

“I refuse. I told you I will never take on a team.”

Green eyes were cold and the temperature of the room dropped even further. He was about to forcibly send the general out of his room when the latter spoke.

“Do you intend to break your promise?”

A pale hand froze mid-air and he turned sharply to regard the general once more. “What are you implying here?”

 _‘I can only hope he doesn’t kill me over this…’_ Mikoto cleared his throat, “Do you remember that I handpicked a few people from the Academy six months ago?”

Albion nodded. “I do. They were meant to be leaders for specialized units once other candidates for members were found. What about them?”

“The object of your promise is one of them.”

He sank deeper into the bed, debating his options. Finally coming to a decision, he breathed out, “…no.”

Mikoto’s eyes narrowed and he said, “No? You do not intend to honor your promise then?”

The other shook his head. “No, not even he is worth it. I can protect him from afar if the need arises; there is no need for me to be on a team.”

“You leave me no choice then. _He_ is one of the leaders chosen as well.”

A moment of stillness then the room exploded in a flurry of snow and wind.

“…you said he will not be let onto the battlefield.”

Mikoto shrugged, his face taking on an expression of weariness. “I tried, but he is too good and we need all the capable fighters we can get. Besides, this is his own choice.”

Albion sighed in defeat. “Very well. Just this once, I accept.”

Finally, a smile appeared on the general’s face, his whole countenance losing the tension that had gathered over the last few days he had spent while trying to find a way to recruit Albion.

“You have my gratitude. I’ll send word when the members are selected-“

He was cut off by Albion, who shook his head. “I will choose them myself.”

Considering the idea, Mikoto realized that it was best if the other did choose his own team and conceded. “There will be selections taking place at the Academy in three days; that’s when the other leaders will choose their teammates. Will you attend in public?”

“I prefer not to. I will watch from the sidelines. Now leave.”

Sensing that he had overstayed his welcome, Mikoto bowed slightly before exiting the room. He had just stepped into the next corridor when two new sets of footsteps sounded and he turned to regard his companions.

“Dai, Kanade.”

“General, is it alright to entrust a team to Albion? He seems to be reluctant and I don’t remember him being part of the Academy or as an apprentice,” Tsukishiro Kanade voiced his thoughts, eyes dark with worry.

Kurotsuki Dai nodded in agreement. “I could see that he held immense magical power but is he good enough? He didn’t sense either of us in the room with you.”

Mikoto only chuckled, “That’s not true at all; he simply didn’t bring it to attention. I am more than certain that he was aware of you both, perhaps even before we reached his room.”

The two gaped before Tsukishiro said, “There’s no way anyone could be that perceptive!” Kurotsuki added, “If he was that good, why was he not on any team before?”

The general sighed at that. “Albion is…..complicated, for lack of a better word. I suggest you don’t dig into his past, he is not forgiving and most of it is either classified or erased from the system.”

“Do we even need such a person?”

The question made Mikoto stop and he turned to face the duo. “Yes, we do. You will know when the time comes, just how much we need him.”

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm pretty sure you all know who Albion is, but I won't be using his name for a long while. As you can see, he is OOC but this is how I will portray him for a while.
> 
> Anyway please leave a review on what you thought of this chapter! I would appreciate it very much!  
> *bows*


	3. Selections

 

 

 

**July 29, 2303  
**

 

 

Hajime frowned at the empty seat next to him, wondering who his counterpart was. He could cross off almost everyone who had been in training together with him, since Haru had chosen to stay as his vice-captain. The others were in different seats so he knew it wasn’t them.

_'Maybe Kai..?’_

As though his thoughts summoned him, the blue-eyed man stepped into the room. Hajime analyzed him, his frown deepening as he saw the badge indicating him as a vice-captain. Kai felt the stare and turned to see both Hajime and Haru watching him.

“Hey, you guys! Do you know what this meeting is about?”

He walked over to the duo taking his place next to Haru, who shook his head. “The general didn’t say anything but I assume it’s something serious since we were given our positions so quickly.”

“Kai.”

“Hmm? What is it, Hajime?”

“…you’re not the captain?”

Kai looked puzzled, before his eyes cleared and he laughed. “Yeah, I’m not. All I was told was that I’ll be the second for my unit.” Hajime mused over the other’s words, wondering what the general was cooking up now. It seemed that he’d get his answers soon, since Mikoto had just walked in.

Once the greetings were out of the way, they settled in to start the meeting. Casting a pensive look over all the gathered members, the general said, “I’m aware you all know each from the specialized training, but I’d like you to introduce yourselves with your rank and unit. Hajime, if you would start.”

The members cast confused glances at each other but assumed it was because they were given information specific to their unit and had to tell the others about it.

“Mutsuki Hajime; captain of the Black Specialized Unit, Six Gravity.”

“Yayoi Haru; vice-captain of the Black Specialized Unit, Six Gravity.”

“Fuduki Kai; vice-captain of the White Specialized Unit, Procellarum.”

“Takamura Shiki; captain of the Offense Unit, SolidS.”

“Izumi Shu; captain of the Defense Unit, QUELL.”

“Ohara Sora; captain of the Reconnaissance Unit, SOARA!”

“Etou Kouki; captain of the Infiltration and Retrieval Unit, Growth.”

Once everyone had finished, there was confusion. Who is the captain of Procellarum?

Mikoto cleared his throat, calling the attention to him. “I see you are wondering about Procellarum’s leader. He’s not here since he already knows what this meeting is about and did not care for a repeat of information.”

“But there was no one else in the training team!”

“He is someone I recruited personally, Sora; I assure you of his competency.”

“What’s his name?” Haru asked, a speculative gleam in his eyes. The general laughed slightly, “Planning to investigate him, Haru? He wished to be called Albion.”

“Albion?” Hajime echoed. “A codename?”

“Yes, but enough about him; you’ll meet him soon enough. The true purpose of this meeting is because of the current scenario. Your training is over; you will soon be expected to take to the battlefield.”

Silence met this statement, as all seven young men sat still, processing the information. Shiki leaned forward, having recovered first. “I can understand Shu and myself, since we were once on an apprentice team. But the others have no experience at all.”

Mikoto sighed. He had expected this argument and had come prepared. “I’m afraid there’s no option left for us,” he said, a hint of weariness and regret in his voice. He repeated the words he had told Albion the previous day, “There are no teams left to be deployed anymore.”

Shiki and Shu shot up at this, the fair-haired man asking, “Takaaki’s team is gone?” and Shiki continued, “What about Shou?” Mamiya Takaaki had been part of their apprentice team and they had met Onoda Shou briefly before they had been sent out.

“Calm down.”

The stern command made them flinch and they reluctantly settled back into their seats. “Takaaki’s team was injured while escorting Shou and his team back to HQ. Regardless of their circumstances, VAZZY is the Mobile Defense Unit responsible for RockDown, the Field Research Unit’s protection. I cannot send them out on missions.”

“There was one active team, wasn’t there?” Kai mused. “Is it them?”

The general nodded. “Unfortunately, the data we got was wrong and they met greater opposition than expected.” He waved his hand and a hologram appeared behind him, showing images of a destroyed battlefield. “This area is close to us and there were reports of Vines gathering there. The team was sent out to eliminate them all, but everyone was killed in the process.”

“That looks like the effect of Star Fall…” Hajime murmured, purple eyes trained on the largest image. Mikoto nodded, confirming his suspicions.

Sora piped up, head tilted in confusion. “What’s Star Fall?”

“Celestial: Star Fall,” replied Kouki, “Categorized as a forbidden spell; upon casting, it summons spheres of energy which fall from the sky. It was named as such because the falling spheres look like silver stars. A highly destructive wide-area spell, but the cost is high. It requires a large amount of magic, usually killing the caster due to magic exhaustion.”

Hearing the explanation, Sora swallowed; such magic seemed scary. “So someone used that magic?”

“Yes. The leader did so and thanks to him, we have a brief reprieve.” A moment of silence fell upon the room’s occupants, everyone sending a prayer and thanks to the fallen team.

“So we’re being sent out as replacements?” Shu asked. “I assume we’ll be needing teams since we’re designated as captains.”

Mikoto tilted his head, indicating his acknowledgement of the statement. “That’s right; we will be holding selections at the Academy two days from now. There will be a series of tests to filter those best-“

He cut himself short at Hajime’s displeased expression; even Kai, Haru and Kouki seemed exasperated, Shiki and Shu simply looked amused while Sora watched everyone with confusion. “What is it, Hajime?”

Chuckling at Hajime’s groan, Haru answered for his friend. “Sorry, general; it’s just that the Academy tests are useless paper tests and are not really capable of judging someone’s true ability.” Mikoto frowned at the answer; had the Academy’s standard gone down that much?

Putting aside the thought for later, he shook his head. “Then it’s good that I am the one setting them up. Each test is designed to see how one reacts in a real combat situation. While it would only involve simulations, there are chances of injuries; I’ve asked the Medical units, Fluna and Seleas to remain on standby.”

“I guess it won’t involve duels?” Shu inquired. “Not at all. Teamwork is required regardless of your partner, so we will have random matching of cadets. The details are in these files.” Screens appeared in front of each person, showing the data of the tests that were arranged.

Nodding in approval, Shiki muttered, “This is good. They’re forced to rely on their own skills and not on the useless things they learn there.” Sweat-dropping, Mikoto said, “I assume everyone is in agreement?”

“I see why you’re doing this but what about us?”

Folding his hands in front of him, the general answered cheerfully, “Why, you’ll be selecting your teammates, of course~” Smirking inwardly at the dumbfounded expressions, he continued, “You will be working together, after all; best if you decide for yourselves who’ll be on your team.”

“What about Procellarum, then?” Kai asked. “Our leader….”

“Albion mentioned that he will choose your team himself, so he should be there at the Academy on the day of the Selections. But I think he will take your opinions into consideration as well, so speak up if you have anything to say.”

“Is there any set number of people we need to select?”

“Hmm? Do you already know who you want, Kouki?”

“….yes.”

“I see.” The general chuckled, “A maximum of six per team and a minimum of two should be fine. Judging by all your expressions, I believe that you know who you want. But be warned that they should possess the skill required. I will not have any incompetent on an active unit.”

Standing up, he walked over to the window. “As you all know, Moon Garden is the only surviving base in Japan. We do not know about the state of other countries. Soon, it will be your duty to protect the remaining humans and also rescue any survivors out there. Understand your responsibility but also remember, you must not endanger your life needlessly.”

“Yes, sir!”

 

 

* * *

 

 

**August 1, 2303**

 

 

The Academy was abuzz, filled with chatter. News about the Selections had been released and the cadets were discussing the possibilities of being chosen. Excitement was visible on everyone’s countenance and the amount of ridiculous theories on the sudden event was mind-boggling.

“It would be awesome if I was selected; I’d definitely impress everyone with my skill!”

“Ha, you? No way! I’m the one who will steal all the glory!”

“…”

Apparently, not everyone was excited. A grey-haired teen stood under the shade of the trees, a glare on his face as he watched the cadets mill about.

“They’re all idiots.”

“Maa, maa, Ryo; calm down.”

Kensuke sweat-dropped as his friend scoffed at the words of their classmates; Ryota clearly didn’t appreciate their silly antics and high dreams. But Kensuke did agree that it was overboard.

 

 

In another area, four teens sat together discussing the reasons for the Selections.

“Sou-nii, do you think something bad happened?”

Ren’s words held his worry and the others exchanged glances. “It’s possible; probably something on the frontlines,” Soushi said as he forced Nozomu to stay in place; the younger teen was bouncing due to a combination of excitement and anxiety. Mori adjusted his glasses, a frown on his features.

“I think we’ll know soon; but it’s most likely serious.”

 

 

“Heeh~ The little brat wants to get into the squads?”

“Shut up, you! As if you don’t want to!”

“Ichiru, calm down; you’re too loud,” Issei said as he tugged his brother to sit down next to him. “Come on, you quiet down too Tsubasa,” Rikka placated the blond, pushing him to the other side.

“Isse, Icchi, are you sure you two want to try the tests? It will be dangerous!” Eichi hovered over the twins, worried since they were much younger than most cadets. Dai nodded, “Are you sure about this?”

The twins exchanged glances before Issei spoke up. “We’re sure.”

“We know we’re good; but more than that, we want to help.”

 

 

“I wonder how the tests will be,” Iku pondered, as he smiled at Rui curled up on his lap. “I heard it was set by General Tsukino himself!” Kakeru exclaimed as he plopped down on the grass next to the pair, Koi nodding vigorously in agreement. “Yeah! Some of the teachers were talking about it earlier.”

“I hope it won’t be anything too dangerous,” Yoru fretted, complexion pale. Aoi chuckled nervously as he pat the other’s back comfortingly, “It probably won’t be? It won’t be good if people got too hurt.”

“I don’t mind anything as long as I don’t have to run too much.”

“Arata….”

A scoff sounded above their heads and they looked up to see Yōu seated on a branch, glaring at something in the distance.

“It will definitely be dangerous; there’s no way this is something simple. Something must have changed in the situation outside.”

A somber mood settled over the group and grim expressions were visible on their faces; they did realize that it was not going to be fun and games soon.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Tsukino Mikoto looked over all the gathered cadets, scrutinizing them and categorizing them based on their demeanor and bearing. _‘Aren’t there any good prospects?’_ he thought despairingly, before spotting a few serious faces among the crowd. _‘Those cadets look promising; are they the ones the captains intend to choose?’_

“Everyone to attention!”

Once there was complete silence, the general continued, “You have all been informed that today we will be selecting members for the new units. Behind me are the captains you will be under if you are chosen; I am certain that most of you would remember them as they were once your classmates.”

“There are six units in total and the number of cadets chosen will depend on the captains themselves. Decisions will be fair and will only depend on your performance in the tests. Remember that it is not a competition; even if you don’t win, there is a chance that you will be selected. I wish you good luck and hope for your best performance!”

Mikoto stepped back and let the instructors take the stage. The leaders stood on either side of him and he asked, “So? Are your preferred candidates up to the mark?”

Shiki nodded as Shu said, “Two of mine are younger than most, but they have realized the gravity of the situation. I believe in them.”

“What are they even teaching in this place now?” Hajime spat out, disgusted at the conversations he had heard while he was walking around the campus, invisible to the naked eye. Haru hummed, “Not many noticed that they are being sent to war; they seem to think of it as a game.”

Disheartened by the responses, Mikoto sighed. “Come, let us go to the test venue.”

 

 

“Alright, listen up!” The proctor shouted, his voice echoing over the grounds. “Your first test is to pick a door from the ones before you. You have only one chance; if you pick the right one you’ll enter the next stage. Otherwise you’ll be sent to the waiting area.”

“A logic-based test? This is going to be easy!”

“Ridiculously hard? What nonsense.”

Iku glanced over the other cadets, sweat-dropping at their comments. Someone shouting his name caught his attention and he turned to see some of their friends running towards his group.

“Ken-san! Everyone!”

“Yahoo~ How are you doing?”

Ryota hit the blue-haired teen on the head, “Now is not the time, Ken.”

“Heh~ You guys are here too~?”

“Tsubasa-san! Hello!” Koi waved as the blond approached. “Looks like everyone’s here,” Yōu smirked, before turning as the proctor yelled for the cadets to start.

“Hey, Eichi; what kind of test is this?” Ichiru asked, glaring at the multiple doors before them. The brunette looked startled at the sudden question, “I doubt it has got anything to do with logic, so it’s related to magic…?”

Rikka nodded. “That’s possible. Is there some kind of spell on the doors?” Quirking an eyebrow at the suggestion, Soushi turned to his friends. “Oi Ren, you’re the best at detecting magic. Can you see anything on them?”

“Oh, um…I’ll try…” The aforementioned teen closed his eyes, focusing on his targets. Following his lead, Yoru, Issei and Kakeru did the same.

“There are…two different spells..?”

“I can see the same as Yoru-san.”

Ren nodded in agreement, as Kakeru drew the runes he saw in the air. Iku prodded his partner, “Rui, can you make any sense of this?” Turquoise eyes opened, looking a bit sleepy as Rui stared at the floating images.

“Magical force trigger, teleportation component with two destinations…”

“It seems to detect the amount of magic a person has.” All eyes turned to the tall light-blue haired mage, as Dai continued. “The teleportation is probably to send the one passing through, to the next test if they have a certain amount of magic.”

Mori agreed, “It seems that way. Most likely, it’s to filter out those with low levels of magic.” Nozomu bounced next to him, “So we can pick any door, Mori-senpai?” Aoi shook his head. “While we may be able to pass through, not all the doors have the same spells. I can see some with just teleportation runes.”

“Oooh, Aoi is serious,” Arata said, his expression as neutral as ever. “Let’s just avoid those doors.”

 

 

General Tsukino had covered his eyes with his hand, earning laughter from Shiki and Shu. Most of the cadets had just run through the doors and some of those who had carefully selected theirs had been eliminated due to low magic. When had the Academy become so useless?

“Oh~ They seem to have figured it out.”

Raising his head at Kai’s voice, he looked back at the grounds to see what he was talking about. A group of cadets were in deep discussion before splitting up with nods of agreement. They walked confidently to different doors, passing through them and reappearing in the arena of the next test.

Spotting the pleased smiles on his captains’ faces, Mikoto said, “These are the ones you want?”

“That’s right! They’re definitely the best here!” Sora cheered, waving down at his friends despite them being unable to see him. Kouki looked passive but there was a sparkle in his blue eyes. Shu was laughing at Shiki’s smug expression and Hajime let a proud expression cross his face.

Purple eyes widened and Hajime stood up suddenly, turning around to glare at the corner of the room they were in. The others looked confused, unable to see anything unusual. Haru stared at his friend, green eyes showing bewilderment.

“What’s wrong?

“…”

“Hajime?”

The dark haired teen slowly turned back, eyes roving over every nook and cranny. “…it’s nothing. I thought I sensed someone.” He missed General Tsukino’s eyes lingering on a specific spot of the room, before he too turned away.

_‘So Albion is here…’_

 

 

Green eyes narrowed in contemplation, as Albion considered his counterpart. _‘Mutsuki Hajime…you were able to detect me. Impressive, but not good enough.’_ His sight flickered over to the brunette next to Haru. _‘Fuduki Kai, my vice-captain. You look competent; who do you want with you?’_

He followed Kai’s line of sight, spotting a group of four among the cadets. Pulling up their profiles, Albion hummed at the new information.

_‘Haduki Yōu, Nagatsuki Yoru, Minaduki Rui, Kannaduki Iku…a cut above the average. Let’s see what you can do.’_

 

 

* * *

 

 

Tsubasa looked around, golden eyes taking in the other cadets. “What the? Looks like at least three-fourths of the Academy were eliminated.” Mori shook his head to clear his surprise. “There are about five hundred cadets in the entire place; I think there’s only about a hundred here now.”

“Congratulations to those who have cleared the first round! You will begin the second stage immediately. This time you will be going against magic dummies,” the proctor announced. “You will proceed in teams of four and can choose your own teammates. The objective is to protect your ‘base’ till time runs out or you destroy all your opponents. You have five minutes before we begin.”

“So that’s the next round? A test of defensive and offensive ability,” Yōu snorted. “This is way better than the stupid paper tests from the Academy.” Yoru chuckled nervously, “Strategy as well, Yōu. Should we divide into groups?”

After a quick discussion, five teams were formed among them:

Team 1: Yōu, Yoru, Rui, Iku

Team 2: Arata, Aoi, Kakeru, Koi

Team 3: Rikka, Tsubasa, Dai, Ryota

Team 4: Eichi, Issei, Ichiru, Kensuke

Team 5: Soushi, Mori, Ren, Nozomu

The five teams grinned at each other just as the timer buzzed and they marched off to their respective starting points.

“Good luck to everyone!”

 

 

Up in the observation box, Kai laughed. “As expected, they all grouped together!” Haru smiled wryly, “For them, it is the best option; they have the correct skill matching. This should be interesting.”

Shiki leaned forward, anticipation in his eyes. “Looks like Tsubasa and the others are up first.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Rikka glanced around; they were sent to a rocky plain, sand and large boulders surrounding them. Their ‘base’ was a small stone pillar, free of any spells. “Looks like there aren’t many places to hide. We should try to camouflage ourselves.”

“I can help with that.” Ryota raised his hand, his staff appearing before him. “ **Lux: Hidden**.”

Silver runes appeared on the quartet’s bodies, flashing a bit before sinking into their skin and disappearing from sight. Tsubasa glanced at his arms, “I don’t see anything different.” The grey-haired teen smirked and revealed to the awed trio, “I modified the spell so that we can still see each other. There’s no point if we hit our allies.”

Dai rose up from where he had been kneeling on the ground. He was the best at sensing presences through vibrations in the earth. “Enemies approaching, I can sense twenty of them. Medium strength and moving at mild-level speeds. We’re surrounded.”

 _‘An ambush, then,’_ Rikka thought. Considering his team and their abilities, he pondered over possible ways to fight back. A plan slowly took shape in his mind and he nodded sharply to himself. He turned to his team, who were waiting patiently for him, while also being on guard for any surprise attacks.

“Tsubasa, can you set up proximity-triggered traps at a radius of two hundred meters around us? Pin-point attacks should be enough.”

“Okay~” Tsubasa saluted with a grin and jumped into the air. Whistling slightly as he spotted figures moving quickly over the sand, he felt grateful for the camouflage spell. _‘I’d be hit if they could use long-range attacks and I wasn’t hidden.’_

Taking a deep breath, the blond called upon his magic. Holding his hands out as crimson magic circles appeared in front of him, he focused on the ground around them as he hovered in the sky.

“ **Flame: Disappearing Nightmare**.”

Small circles identical to the ones in front of Tsubasa formed on the sand, each one spaced twenty meters apart and sunk down, disappearing underground.

While Tsubasa was performing his task, Rikka asked their youngest teammate, “Do you know any spell for a contingency plan if the traps fail? It’s alright if it’s only to delay the dummies.” Ryota considered the request, as he ran through a mental list of his repertoire of spells.

“I think I know of one,” he answered, as one particular AOE spell came to mind. Light pink eyes fluttered close as Ryota channeled his magic through his staff. Silver tendrils floated around him, forming runes that rapidly rearranged themselves in the form of a dome.

“ **Spatial: Reverse Shield**.”

The runes solidified, forming a translucent barrier that ended a few metres inward, away from Tsubasa’s traps.

“Any who escape the traps will be destroyed by the barrier, but it can only take five hits,” Ryota said, eyes trained on the horizon, just as Tsubasa dropped down from the air behind him.

Rikka stepped back, having finished reinforcing Dai’s sword. “I’ll play support; Tsubasa, take down any enemies you can in the east and north. Ryota-kun, can you do the same for the west and south?” At their nods, he turned to Dai, “The base is your responsibility, Dai. Protect it from any attacks.”

Their plan formed, the four took their positions. As their sensor, Dai called out. “Ten seconds before they reach the barrier!” Everyone tensed; five..four..three..two..one..zero.

The quartet caught a glimpse of the dummies, shaped like humans without any distinguishing features and colored a dull ash, just before they reached the outer ring of their defenses. Explosions rang out as some of the dummies stepped on the hidden magic circles.

The barrier shattered moments later, shards of silver magic falling down before dissipating. “Eight down from the traps and two heading in my direction!” Tsubasa yelled as he ran to intercept them, calling forth his sword. Flames sprang to life around the blade as he slashed at the incoming dummies, which were unable to dodge as they were not able to see the blond. Fire erupted from the cuts on their bodies, incinerating them completely.

Meanwhile Ryota readied his staff, “Four impacts on the barrier and four more heading in our direction, Rikka-san.” Steadying himself, he narrowed his eyes at his opponents. The dummies had spread out, each targeting their base from a different direction. “I won’t let you past me.”

Deciding that destroying them in one go would be better than taking them out one by one, Ryota raised his staff high into the air. His magic condensed into light lances, shooting forward at high speeds to pierce the dummies; they fell to the ground broken, their bodies littered with cracks and holes.

“That leaves two,” the pink haired mage muttered, as he looked about for the remaining ones. Spotting none in their vicinity, Rikka frowned. “Dai! Watch out for ranged attacks!” The swordsman nodded, shoulders tensed. Ryota and Tsubasa returned to their original positions, having ensured that none of the fallen dummies were getting up or had any traps placed on them.

“Where are the remaining two?” the blond asked, his stance ready. Their eyes darted around, looking for any movement. Pink eyes widened as he sensed a disturbance in the ambient magic around them and Rikka cast a shield just as two bolts of lightning streaked through the air in their direction. Smoke blinded them as the bolts impacted on the shield.

“Dai-san! Twenty meters right in front of you!”

Trusting Ryota’s words, Dai ran through the inky smoke, sword ready. He spotted the remaining two dummies just as he emerged into the open air and sliced, cleanly cutting through them. The spells Rikka had placed on the sword earlier activated and the dummies glowed red before exploding a shower of sparks and clay fragments.

The sound of a bell rang through the air, indicating the end of their test. The quartet let out sighs of relief before smiling victoriously at each other.

 

 

Mikoto chuckled at Shiki’s smug and proud look; the leader of the Offense Unit shot a small smile at the quartet as they reappeared back in the arena, the blond cheering and grabbing the tallest teen into a headlock.

“They did well; good strategy and minimum use of magic. A clean battle,” complimented the general. “Although, this is surprising; I didn’t expect to find anyone capable of modifying spells in the Academy.”

“Ryo was always interested in spell-crafting; I remember he was experimenting with the basic ones when I left the Academy,” Kouki explained.

Seeing Sora bounce up to the railing, Mikoto asked, “Are your friends next? I feel this selection is somewhat biased already…”

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Woah! This place is amazing!”

Nozomu perched on a large branch, brown eyes sparkling as he took in their stage. They had been given a dried up forest as their scenario and currently all four were in a clearing in the middle of the forest. “Oi, Nozomu! Don’t use your magic here; you’ll burn us all to death.”

“Soushi-senpai! My control is not that bad!”

Ren sweat-dropped as Nozumu dropped down, whining. “In any case, where is our base? I don’t see anything like it…” The four looked around, eyes searching for anything that resembled a ‘base’. They saw nothing, though; only dead trees for miles surrounding them in every direction.

“Damn, time’s running out and we don’t know what to do.”

“Guys, do you think this clearing is our ‘base’?”

The remaining three stopped in place at Mori’s suggestion, turning it over in their minds.

“Ah.”

Everyone blinked in unison before Nozomu yelled, “How are we going to protect this place?! It’s huge!” The silver-haired teen sighed at his friend’s antics before turning to Soushi. “Should we try to take down the dummies instead?”

“It’s a possibility, but Nozomu’s magic is a liability here. We have to be careful about how we proceed. Mori, any ideas?” he called to the bespectacled teen who was deep in thought. Mori nodded pensively, taking in the land around them. The clearing was the largest open area in the forest, best for battling. But if it really was their base…

Mori cleared his throat, “I think we should first see how many dummies we are up against. Depending on the number we can either confront them directly or wait it out till the timer runs out.” Soushi nodded in agreement; that was the best possible option they had, considering their limited fighting space.

“Ren, look for any movement in the forest outside the clearing. Everyone else, stand on guard.”

“Yes!”

Ren clasped his hands briefly then opened them, collecting magic between them. When he had enough, he released it in a flash allowing it to spread through the forest. Images filled his head, telling him about the state of the environment. Blue eyes widened, a hint of panic in them.

“Sou-nii, we don’t have time! There are ten dummies and three of them are falling from the sky, directly above us; I estimate we have two minutes before contact. The remaining seven are gathered in two groups, one in the east and the other in the north!”

Soushi raised his head to stare up at the sky, covering his eyes with his hand to protect them from the glare. A smirk formed on his face as he got an idea. “Perfect. Nozomu, you’re on. Destroy the ones in the air.”

The cheerful teen jumped up, grinning. “Oh, oh! Can I go all out?!” Grin widening at the other’s nod, he shot up into the sky. Once he was about a hundred meters above ground, he stopped and hovered in place.

Nozomu squinted, searching for the dummies. He spotted them quite far away; they were an unusual red and seemed to blend into the bloody sky. “Heeh…that’s cool! But not as cool as the charismatic Nozomu~!”

“Soushi-senpai said I could go all out, so let’s make a boom!”

A large fiery red magic circle formed behind him, larger than his body. The air grew hot, similar to being in a furnace. Yet the teen only grinned and made it even hotter.

“ **Flame: Fire Pillars**!”

Like the name stated, pillars of white-hot flames shot towards his targets rapidly. The dummies attempted to dodge, but only one managed to get away. The other two were burnt to crisps, disintegrating to ash that fell down to earth.

“Two down, one to go!”

On the ground, Soushi chuckled at the explosions lighting up the sky above them. Blinking as he felt the wind blow suddenly, he turned to see Mori who had his staff out. Sensing the stare, the mage smiled sheepishly.

“We’re supposed to protect this clearing from the ‘enemies’, right? The falling ashes would also count as intruders, so I’m using the wind to blow it away.”

The taller teen shook his head in amusement; leave it to Mori to find even the tiniest loopholes in the rules set out. Deciding to leave Nozomu to his own devices, Soushi turned to Ren. “Do you think you can take on one of the groups by yourself, Ren?”

Ren seemed to be flustered by the question, “Eh? But I’m not that strong…” Flinching as a large hand ruffled his hair, he protested, “Sou-nii, stop that!” Soushi huffed; Ren always had a habit of underestimating himself. He knew the other had ridiculous physical strength despite what his petite figure led others to believe.

“You can do it, Ren; I’ll provide support from here,” Mori smiled in encouragement, also knowing about the younger teen’s capabilities. Flushing at the attention, Ren agreed reluctantly. “O-Okay…I’ll intercept the group of three then…”

The older ones grinned in victory. “Keep an eye on Nozomu, won’t you, Mori? We’re off then.”

 

Ren ran through the forest towards his destination, steps light and quick. A green orb floated after him; Mori was watching both him and Soushi in case they needed backup. Sounds of leaves crackling reached his ears and Ren stopped, hiding behind a large tree.

Peeking out, blue eyes saw the three dummies walking in the direction of the clearing. All three had swords in hand and looked to be like mud monsters thanks to their brown coloring. Taking a deep breath, Ren considered his options. He could do a frontal charge but he would also be risking injury.

 _‘They haven’t noticed me yet, I could probably take out one if I try to ambush them.’_ Feeling a spell settle over him, Ren heard words in his head: **Silent Walk**. _‘Morihito-senpai…’_ Drawing his sword as confidence filled him, he leapt at the dummy closest to him. Bringing the sword down in a vertical slash, he sliced the dummy in two before his feet even hit the ground.

The remaining two turned in his direction but Ren did not hesitate and stepped to the side, avoiding the attack aimed at him and cut off the head of the dummy. Swirling around as he heard the tell-tale swish of metal swinging through the air, he raised his sword in a block.

The sounds of steel clashing echoed through the still forest and Ren grit his teeth; the dummy was strong. Sliding his sword, he caught the other’s blade with the guard of his own and twisted, unbalancing the dummy. Taking advantage of the moment, he took a quick step back and readjusted his grip before slicing through its torso.

Silence ensued once again and Ren fell to the ground in relief. “I did it…thank goodness.”

 

_“Ren and Nozomu have eliminated their targets, Sou.”_

Mori’s voice echoed in his head as the dark-haired teen dodged an arrow. “So the kids are done, huh. Well, I can’t fall behind either.” Focusing back on his fight, Soushi blocked a sword with his sabre and beheaded the dummy.

_‘Two left.’_

Unlike Ren, he had encountered dummies with different skills. Soushi had taken down the mage using the element of surprise to further his chances of victory. The archer was posing a problem though, taking potshots at him while he danced around the swordsman. Mori’s orb floated around the area, trying to find the location of the archer.

“Damn, I’m getting nowhere like this,” Soushi cursed as he blocked yet another arrow before ducking the sword aimed for his throat. He heard Mori’s voice in his head again: _“Fifteen degrees to the left, twenty feet away and ten feet above ground.”_ A grin formed on his face; the archer had been spotted.

“Finally!”

Drawing a dagger from his belt, Soushi threw it at the given coordinates. A pleased expression crossed his face as he heard the thump of a body hitting the ground and he returned his attention to the last dummy, which dashed towards him. He adjusted his stance and angled his stance before running forward as well.

At the very last moment, Soushi side-stepped and let the dummy pass him. Twisting around on his heel, he brought his sabre down on its head, cutting through it. Letting out a huff, he sheathed his sabre and retrieved his dagger, just as a bell rang and the quartet was teleported out.

 

 

“Damn that Sou, looking cool like that,” Sora grumbled, before cheering up. “Ren and Nozomu have really gotten stronger though! And Mori is as good as ever!”

Mikoto chuckled. “Sit down, Sora. Are there any others who are good enough?” Haru looked pensive, as he stared at the multiple screens showing the various battles taking place simultaneously. “There are a few, but teamwork is a problem.” He winced as one of the cadets yelled at his team, blaming them for not protecting him.

“So the selections are pretty much preset? After seeing this mess, I feel that we didn’t need to hold the event after all.” Shu shook his head, “I believe it is necessary, if only to divert the antagonism that might rise if we just picked our teammates.”

“We would be called biased,” agreed Shiki. “This way, no one can argue that they don’t possess the required skills.”

“I think it’s mostly due to their background,” Kai interjected, leaning on the railing. “Most of our friends are from families that have a history of being on the frontlines; they understand more of the outside world than normal cadets.”

Mikoto felt a pressure on the arm of his chair before a chill washed over him and he heard another person’s thoughts. _‘Albion? What is it?’_

_‘The next three stages, someone has tampered them.’_

_‘What?!’_

_‘Leave it be; it is not dangerous.’_

_‘But it would be unfair to the teams.’_

_‘The field is unfair, it would be a good challenge for them.’_

The general reluctantly agreed and settled back into his seat. _‘…I want you to watch over them though. Pull them out if something goes wrong.’_

_‘Very well.’_

* * *

 

 

“WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!”

Koi gaped at the lake in front of him, pink eyes wide with incredulity. Kakeru sat on the grass next to him, poking a finger into the water curiously. Looking up with wide orange eyes, he asked, “Aoi-san, this isn’t a dream, right?”

They had landed in a forest but it was green and lush. Once they had regained their bearings, they had started to look for their base. Despite searching for five minutes, they hadn’t found anything. Kakeru had suggested that they stop near the lake, since that was where they had landed.

The golden blond had reached the lake first, despite Aoi’s calls for him to slow down. He had looked into the clear water, only to freeze in shock. He was followed by Koi, who had spotted the same thing: their base was a small multi-colored house, but that wasn’t the problem.

_The entire structure was submerged in the lake._

“Hm. Should we fish it out?”

“And risk breaking it? Are you an idiot?!”

“Shut up, pinkhead. Too noisy…”

“Arata!”

*BAM*

Kakeru laughed nervously, as Koi and Arata crouched on the ground, holding their heads and whimpering in pain. _‘Aoi-san sure is scary when he’s mad…’_

The blue-eyed blond walked over to the edge of the lake and knelt; he dipped his hand into the water, a considering look on his face. “We just have to protect our base, right?”

“That’s righ- Aoi-san?!

A sheet of ice crept along the surface of the water, covering the entire expanse of the lake. It looked completely solid, similar to a lake in winter. Arata came closer, tentatively stepping onto it. When it held his weight, he jumped slightly on the ice.

“Oh? This is impressive, Aoi.”

Something under the ice caught his eye and Arata bent down, looking at it closely. “The lake isn’t frozen over completely?”

The words made the younger duo scramble over to the lake, peering in with curiosity glimmering in their eyes. True to the dark-haired teen’s words, the water underneath the ice that they were standing on was moving and their base seemed to bob up and down in the swaying current.

Three pairs of eyes turned to stare at the mage still on the shore. Aoi looked startled at the gazes and said, “It’s not anything complicated, though? Water magic is my specialty, after all.” Koi gaped at that and protested, waving his arms wildly in the air.

“Not complicated? Aoi-san, you froze a lake! And the water underneath is still moving! That’s got to take a lot of control!”

“Why didn’t you freeze the entire lake, Aoi?”

Scratching his chin, the blond looked flustered as he answered, “If I freeze it entirely, we might be disqualified? It might count as destroying the base.”

Arata nodded in understanding at the explanation before his posture tensed and grey eyes flickered to the trees on his left; he had sensed movement. The others got into battle stances as well, having detected intruders.

A fireball shot towards Koi from the darkness of the forest but the teen did not move, too startled by its sudden appearance. Something heavy landing on him shook him from his stupor and he realized he had avoided the attack by a hair’s breadth.

“Do you want to die, pinkhead?”

“Speak for yourself, stupid Arata!”

The retort slipped out before Koi realized it; the other was the one who had saved him. Shouting voices distracted them and the duo looked up to see Aoi and Kakeru covering them; they were under attack.

Quickly scrambling to his feet, Arata asked, “How many are there?” Drawing his katana, he sliced through another fireball and stood at Aoi’s back. The blond was busy shielding them, a silvery blue barrier shimmering in the air. “I don’t know, but there are too many for us to take them all out at once.”

“Aoi-san, I’ll take over the barrier for a bit! Find out how many are around us!”

Pausing at Koi’s yell, the mage looked a bit uncertain before nodding firmly. The color of the barrier shifted to pale pink as the caster changed and Aoi took a step back. Closing his eyes, he extended his senses. The presences of his friends stood out to him as orange, pink and golden, glowing brightly. Traveling past them, he noticed multiple grey silhouettes surrounding them in all directions.

Ten, twenty, thirty-five…

Sky blue eyes shot open, worry filling them. “There’s no end to the dummies; I can’t count them all!” This disheartened the other three, Kakeru asking, “What do we do then?” Arata looked around them, there was no way the four of them could destroy all the dummies. It was Koi who offered them a solution, blasting away any who came near the barrier.

“We just have to protect the base till time runs out, right? Let’s stall them till then!”

Kakeru stared wide-eyed at his partner and Arata said, “Oho, the pinkhead has a brain.” Ignoring the fuming teen, he turned to his own partner, “Aoi, any ideas? We still have quite a bit of time left.” Pondering the question as an idea occurred to him, Aoi sent a pulse of magic through the lake. “I’ve fortified the ice so that it’s unbreakable; it should hold even if we fail. Everyone, switch to ranged AOE or pin-point attacks! We can’t risk magic exhaustion.”

“Got it!”

The four stood their ground, each facing one direction. Kakeru had his dual guns out, shooting any dummy that came out from the forest. “Uh oh,” Panicking as an entire team of dummies ran at him, he quickly called upon his magic.

**“Bullet Rain!”**

A hail of golden bullets shot from his guns, hitting his opponents multiple times and they fell, bodies littered with holes. “Yes! I’m on a roll!”

Meanwhile, wind howled in the north as Koi called up a miniature gale around him and the dummies fell as the wind blades cut through them like butter.

The best show was in the south and east though; electricity crackled in the air creating a defensive dome while at the same time frying any dummy that came into contact. Aoi and Arata were working together, water and lightning combined to form an electric storm.

It was clear that the quartet was doing well, but they could not keep it up for long. Finally, the bell rang, sounding like a gift from heaven as they collapsed, exhausted.

 

“Hajime, Haru, calm down!”

Kai placed a hand on the duo’s heads, attempting to keep them from doing anything they clearly won’t regret.

“That was not normal,” Shiki pointed out, his voice hard. “There were too many dummies on that stage.”

The general folded his hands on his lap, his lips pressed in a thin line. He knew Albion would have pulled them out had anyone of them collapsed before the timer ended but it did not cease his worry.

“...nevertheless, that was impressive. They were able to keep their cool despite the situation and ensured that the base was protected while at the same time protecting themselves.”

“But something is not right. Wasn’t the maximum number of opponents set at thirty?” Shu had a frown on his face. He could see that the twins were up next and hoped that they would be fine.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Watch out!”

Ichiru jumped back, narrowly avoiding a sword and twisted, kicking the dummy away. They had been immediately set upon by the dummies as soon as they had landed and only Issei’s rapid spell-casting had protected their base.

A crystal orb floated in the air, a few feet above their heads; this was their ‘base’. Currently it was protected by a clear spherical shield, courtesy of the older Kuga twin. Their field was a parched land, covered with crevices and craters; one wrong step and they could hurt themselves.

The land gave them both an advantage and a disadvantage: while nothing could sneak up on them, there was also nowhere they could hide. Deflecting a beam of magic with his sword, Kensuke said, “We’re losing ground here. Any plan?”

Emerald orbs cast an assessing glance over the battlefield as Eichi let loose another volley of arrows, bringing down a few dummies. He couldn’t tell where they were coming from, but for every dummy they destroyed, three more popped up, seemingly out of nowhere.

“I don’t know; maybe we should try out to clear out an area and erect a barrier!” He shouted back. The Kuga twins exchanged glances; Ichiru grinned at his brother while Issei shot him a small smile before he returned his attention to the fight. A large blue magic circle lit up beneath his feet, runes spreading out about fifty meters around them.

“Eichi, Ken! Get back!”

Jerking a bit at the sudden yell, the aforementioned duo looked up to see Ichiru above them, hands clenched into fists. Eyes widening in alarm at the magic building up around the younger, they scrambled back just in time. Ichiru grinned as he punched the ground, sending the collected magic into the earth.

**“Blast Wave!”**

The ground shook and waves of magic spread out from the epicentre of the spell, tossing all the dummies in the vicinity back several meters. Issei’s spell completed at that very instant, a translucent blue barrier forming around them. The dummies threw multiple attacks at it but nothing happened; the barrier only shimmered slightly and rendered them ineffective.

“That should hold them off for a while!”

The sound of clapping hands woke Eichi and Kensuke from their stupor and they saw the twins raising their hands in a high-five. “That was awesome! How’d you guys learn to do that?” Kensuke grinned at the two while Eichi fluttered around them, looking for injuries.

“Isse, Icchi, are you two okay? No wounds or magic exhaustion?”

Huffing at the flustered brunet, Ichiru said, “Eichi, we’re fine!” Smiling lightly at his brother, Issei looked over the battlefield. It was filled with broken dummies and there were more waiting just beyond the barrier. “We have to find out where they are coming from…”

Catching the mumbled words, Kensuke remembered a spell Ryota had forced him to learn. “I think I know a way!” His words caught the others’ attention and they turned to him, but he had already started to cast the spell. He held out his hand, palm up; a disc made of magic formed in the air, a multitude of colors flashing in different areas.

“Kensuke-san, what does that spell do?”

Issei’s voice made him blink and he turned to see the others staring at him curiously. “Ryo taught me this since I’m not good at magic sensing. The colors indicate the density of magic around us. See the four colored dots?” Kensuke said, pointing at four dots colored orange, dark blue, red and green.

“That’s us and the grey dots surrounding us are the dummies. They have to originate from somewhere, right? So the place where’s the most concentration of grey dots is where the source is!” He ended his explanation with a triumphant smile.

“…”

“What? What?”

“…that was actually pretty smart.”

“Ehhh! How mean! That sounded like something Ryo would say…”

Kensuke deflated at Ichiru’s words before directing his attention to the disc again. “Looks like this is it.” All four of them could see a place where the grey emerged, forming a stream that headed towards them. Eichi frowned, having noticed something. “How are we going to get there? It looks far.” Issei looked to be deep in thought; a flash of metal caught his eye and he turned his head slightly.

“Oh.”

“Got an idea, Issei?”

“Hm.” The elder Kuga nodded, tugging on Eichi’s sleeve. “What is it, Isse?”

“How good is your aim from long distances?”

 

The brunet let out a sigh as he hovered in the sky, supported by both Kensuke’s and Ichiru’s magic. Issei had enchanted one of his arrows with a sealing spell and told him to shoot it at the magic source. Shaking his head to get rid of his thoughts, he looked in the direction Kensuke had told him, looking for his target.

Following the direction the dummies were coming from, Eichi spotted the source. Drawing his bow, he aimed the arrow carefully; he had only one shot. Fortifying the arrow with his own magic, he let it loose. It shot straight at the target, the protection spell he had cast deflecting any attacks aimed at it by the dummies.

A relieved sigh escaped him as Eichi dropped back to the ground, amidst his cheering team. Kensuke grinned at them, “We have some time to kill, shall we destroy more dummies?”

 

 

Shu smiled in relief as the twins appeared back in the arena with Eichi and Kensuke, unharmed; he had been on the edge of his seat during the entire battle and only Shiki’s tight grip on his arm had kept him from jumping in there.

“They are powerful for their age,” commented General Tsukino. “Their teamwork is extraordinary. Although there was no real strategy to their fight, they were able to think on their feet and execute it perfectly.”

Kouki still looked worried though. “Something is wrong, the last two tests did not adhere to the rules we had set. I have a bad feeling about this.”

A shadow fell over them at the blonde’s words; someone was definitely tampering with the tests. But who?

_‘Watch the last battle closely, Albion; I feel that something is about to happen.’_

 

 

* * *

 

 

A flash of light brightened the dull corridor for an instant, before fading to reveal four figures.

“Eh? A cave?”

Like Yoru had said, they were indeed in a cave. The walls glistened with trickles of water that looked like they came from the multiple cracks in the cave. Crystals were embedded in the stone everywhere, glowing dimly and lighting up the cave a bit.

“Magic gems?” Iku wondered as he prodded one close to him with a finger. Yōu looked around, searching for any hints as to their ‘base’. Something pulling on his sleeve distracted him and he turned back.

“What, Rui?”

“Over there.”

Following where Rui was pointing Yōu could see a dark tunnel that seemed to go on forever. Looking back down at the petite teen with a raised eyebrow, the redhead asked, “You sure?”

Rui placed his hands next to his ears, cupping them. Eyes closed to enhance his senses, he listened for the sounds in the cave. Nodding slowly, he said, “I can hear the wind in this direction, the other way is a dead end.”

Trusting his words, they walked in the direction Rui had mentioned, stance alert and ready. Soon the tunnel widened and they found themselves in a large dome-like part of the cave with a high ceiling. Right in the centre stood their base, a tower made of the same crystals that were scattered everywhere.

“So, how should we protect this?” Yōu walked over to the tower, scrutinizing it. It stood a foot taller than him and was about two feet wide. “It feels a bit weird, so I don’t think we can cast a barrier around it.”

“We’ll have to guard it manually, then?” Iku asked, brown eyes wandering around the cave; he had spotted multiple openings to tunnels like the one they had come from and it made him uneasy. “Rui, can you keep listening for any noise?”

Patting the other’s head at his nod, Iku looked at Yoru who seemed to be in thought. “Yoru-san, do you have any ideas?” Startling at the sudden question, he focused back on his surroundings and sweat-dropped at the three intent stares on him.

“I ran a scan of the cave and I think it is sturdy enough, but we should be careful that we don’t disturb it too much. Also those tunnels worry me,” Yoru said, pointing to a few of the tunnels out of the many that surrounded them. “There are runes carved above them; I can’t tell what they are though.” Rui suddenly perked up, hearing faint sounds that seem like footsteps.

“Ikkun, they’re coming.”

The others tensed, the redhead asking, “How many and in which direction?” Expanding his senses again, Rui listened keenly. “Eight from the north…and five from the south. Thirty seconds before contact.”

“Yoru, support me; you two take the south, Iku, Rui!

All of them moved to their respective positions, weapons drawn and ready. The dummies emerged from the north first, colored midnight black and carrying an assortment of weapons. Soft yellow sparkles glittered in the air as Yoru used his magic, grey-blue eyes narrowed and looking calm.

Yōu smirked as he felt his body become lighter and his sword hummed with energy, reacting to both his and Yoru’s magic. Dashing forward, he slashed in a horizontal arc and cut through three of the dummies at the same time. Red lines spread from the cuts and they exploded, the fragments piercing two more dummies and destroying them as well.

Leaping back as a blade swung in his direction, Yōu gathered his magic in his left hand and punched through the dummy’s torso before slashing it with his blade. Straightening from his crouch, he froze and violet eyes widened as spears of energy flew over his shoulders, piercing the remaining two dummies that tried to sneak up on him.

“Don’t let your guard down, Yōu.”

Yoru had his arm raised, ready to cast more spells in case of hidden enemies. He sighed exasperatedly at his friend’s sheepish expression before he resumed watching for more attacks.

 

“Ikkun, below you!”

Rui called out as he flew up into the air; he was not very capable of close combat. Heeding the warning, Iku jumped up just as the ground exploded below him and a dummy emerged, its lance aimed at him. Blocking it with his shield, he stabbed at the dummy with his claymore, crushing its head.

Regaining his bearings, Iku looked back at their battle. _‘Another two left.’_ They had a problem though; despite being able to sense the dummies, they could not tell their exact location. Unease crept into the brunet and he turned around. Eyes widening at the flash of metal, Iku quickly brought up his sword. He was pushed back, being unprepared for the attack.

However, the dummy was revealed now and he threw his shield at it as a distraction before dashing in and cutting it in two.

Still hovering in the air, Rui let a small smile form on his face as he watched his partner for a second before returning to his surroundings. There was still one dummy left and he had no idea where it was. Possibilities and theories ran through his mind, each one discarded immediately as useless.

“Oh.”

Turquoise-colored eyes caught sight of their base and the pieces clicked. Calling forward his rapier as he went, Rui flew towards the crystal tower. Finally spotting the last dummy aiming to attack the base, he held his rapier in front of him, the blade glowing green.

**“Storm Cutter.”**

Rui pierced through the dummy in the place where the heart would be. For a second nothing happened, before razor-sharp wind blades cut through it and it fell to the ground in pieces. Rui fell to the ground and was caught by Iku, who placed him on his feet gently.

“Iku! Rui! Are you two okay?”

Yoru ran over to them, Yōu following behind at a sedate pace. “We’re fine, Yoru-san,” Iku replied with a grin, Rui nodding to his words. A bell rang at that moment, indicating the end of their test.

Yōu smirked in victory. “Looks like we- what?”

 

 

“Why aren’t they teleported out yet?!”

Kai gripped the steel railing tightly, blue eyes trained on the screen. Despite the test being over, none of the quartet was taken away from the stage. The cave had started to collapse on them, rocks breaking away from the ceiling and falling to the floor.

Yoru had surrounded them with a barrier, but there was sweat beaded on his forehead and cracks were starting to form on the yellow shield. The others were transferring their magic to him but it didn’t seem to be enough; if no one did anything soon, the four would be crushed by the rocks.

Hajime called upon his magic, intending to force his way into the stage when something caught his eye on the screen. The falling rocks slowed down before freezing in place; looking closer he could see a thin layer of ice enveloping them.

“What’s going on?” Sora asked, expression tense and magic crackling around his fingers. Shu gazed at the screen, his face a mask of confusion. “I see ice but none of them is an Ice or Water elemental, right?”

Haru nodded. “Most likely, it’s outside interference.” His eyes widened as white covered the screen and they were no longer able to see anything. There was immediate panic and the captains were about to rush out when the general stopped them.

“Wait, look at the arena.”

Seven pairs of eyes turned to focus on the arena just as a large pure white magic circle appeared in the centre. A miniature snow storm spun around in the epicenter for a few moments, before dying down to reveal the four mages.

Kai let out a sigh of relief, deflating as the adrenaline went away. “They’re safe…” Everyone let out murmurs of agreement, watching as the Medical Unit Seleas rushed over to the four. Yoru seemed to be on the verge of collapse, Iku’s support the only thing that kept him on his feet. Yōu was glaring at the disappearing white runes, confusion in his violet eyes; Rui was the only one who looked unaffected, staring at the fluttering snowflakes with awe.

“Looks like they have no injuries,” Shiki observed. “Most likely, a case of magic exhaustion.”

Mikoto nodded, “I’ll ask Tsubaki to send a report once she’s done treating them.” Tilting his head towards Hajime as he noticed the other staring at him, he asked, “You have something you want to ask me?”

“You knew someone was going to help them.”

It wasn’t a question.

“….I was already informed of the tampering, but not what they were.”

“What?! And you let them go ahead with it?” Sora yelled, shocked at the admission. “The field is unfair,” the general repeated Albion’s words, not that the others knew. “Someone was watching them from the very beginning, so if things went wrong no one would be hurt.” The captains quieted, reluctant but knew that it was the truth.

“General.”

“Kanade. What is it?”

The bespectacled man handed over a sheet of paper, “It’s the report of the technical details of the last three stages as you requested.” Bemused, the general took it. _‘Albion must have asked for it in my name…’_ His expression hardened as he read through it, his fury growing with each word that he saw.

“Conduct an investigation as to who tampered with the tests. Find out what possible motives they have and send the culprits over to my office later. The last exam is cancelled; it’s clear that the Academy is no longer truly concerned with training cadets with real potential.”

Kanade bowed, “Yes, sir.”

Once the assistant had left, Mikoto addressed the others who were still standing behind him. “It seems that the Selections were biased on the Academy’s side too, much worse considering that the instructors had intended to make sure that only the cadets they preferred were selected, unlike all of you who knew what your chosen ones were capable of.”

The captains tensed, understanding that they were partly at fault despite not letting their intentions be visible; after all, they were once cadets in the same place and are friends with the ones they wished to select.

“Captains, the Selections are over. I want a list of your teammates and the reasons for their nomination on my desk in two hours. Dismissed.”

“Yes, sir!”

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My first ever writing battle scenes and a chapter this long.  
> *collapses*
> 
> I'm pretty sure I almost killed my new beta, LittleChibi1009 over the multiple edits and opinions I needed, but thank you, Chi! Hope you'll stick with me till the end! *bows*
> 
> Also, a word of thanks to ZephyrusZ because I got the inspiration for magic types of some members from them.
> 
> If you liked this chapter, please leave a review! I'd appreciate it ^_^


	4. Last Captain

 

 

 

 

**August 1, 2303; evening after the Selections**

 

 

Yōu had a glare on his face as his hands clenched into fists around the white sheets on him. He remembered clearly, the rocks falling down on them as they fed their magic into Yoru even as fear crept into them as they saw the barrier breaking. He remembered Yoru faltering and Iku’s desperate words as Rui clung to him.

But more than that, the redhead remembered the helplessness that filled him when he realized he couldn’t do anything more to protect his friends. He had thought it was over for them when time passed with no one coming to help them. His thought then was to become stronger if he managed to survive.

Suddenly, the air had become cold and the rocks had frozen in place. Yoru had collapsed onto him, his yellow barrier shattering as he could no longer keep it up. Yōu remembered the sudden snowstorm wrapping around them and taking them back to the arena. What struck him as odd was the magic itself; the coldness did not just emanate from the snow but also from the very magic that created it.

After that was a flurry of activity as Seleas had taken the four of them away to the infirmary. All of them had eventually fallen asleep due to magic exhaustion and only Yōu had awakened in about an hour. The others were still sleeping and so he had been left to his thoughts.

“Yōu-san, you’re awake?”

“Iku, how are you feeling?”

The brunette slowly got up from his bed, rubbing his eyes. Blinking slightly to get rid of the sleepiness, Iku answered, “Still a bit tired, but I should be fine. Are you alright? What happened?”

Yōu shook his head. “I’m fine but I don’t know about the tests. It’s too quiet now, so I assumed it was postponed or something.” He thought it might have been cancelled but he kept that thought to himself; he suspected sabotage but had no proof.

“Do you remember what happened, Iku? After we were teleported out, I mean.” The younger frowned slightly and shook his head in the negative. “All I remember is snow and supporting Yoru-san. I’m glad he looks better now.”

Truly, Yoru looked healthier; he had been pasty white thanks to continuous use of magic and the three different magic that had been poured into him had clearly messed with his system. He was sleeping peacefully and didn’t seem to be waking up for a while.

The rustling of cloth caught their attention and the pair turned to see Rui sitting up; his hair was a mess and he looked like he could use more rest.

“Hey, Rui; you okay?”

“Ikkun…not really.”

The green-haired teen answered slowly, his eyes half-lidded with sleep. “It was cold…”

Yōu quirked an eyebrow at this. “Cold? What was?”

“That white magic, it was cold but at the same time…it felt unreal.”

The other two frowned at this; Rui was highly perceptive to the nature of magic and could tell with nearly hundred percent accuracy what type of magic it was. To describe it as unreal meant that even he couldn’t decipher its true nature. Just what kind of magician was the person who rescued them?

At the sound of the door opening, the trio dropped the conversation and turned to see Ichisaki Reina of Seleas come in. “Looks like you’re feeling better! Up to meeting some guests? Your friends are outside.”

“Really? Thank you, Reina-san!”

She waved it off with a smile. “Just doing my job!”

Moments after she disappeared, Kakeru and Koi burst in. Behind them were Arata and Aoi, following them at a sedate pace.

“Yōu-san! Is everyone alright?!”

Grinning wryly at the panicked questions of the younger duo, the redhead said, “Quiet down, Yoru is still sleeping. And we’re fine.” Slapping their hands over their mouths at this, the two looked past him to see the dark haired teen still lying on the bed, clearly asleep.

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Kakeru and Koi took a seat on Rui’s bed, the latter having deserted his own to curl up next to Iku. “He’s not going to disappear if you take your eyes off him, you know,” Aoi said with a smile as he watched Yōu stare at his childhood friend.

The redhead had left his bed as well, opting to stay closer to Yoru. “I know, but I’d rather have him close,” he admitted. “He was in a really bad condition earlier.” Arata nodded in understanding; he knew he’d do the same for Aoi if the situation was reversed.

“Aoi-san, what happened in the arena after we left?” Iku piped up, curiosity in his voice. The platinum blond blinked at the sudden question before answering. “There was a lot of chaos; the tests were cancelled. Since you were the last team to be tested, there wasn’t much of an uproar.”

“The general was really angry though, when he made the announcement,” Koi added, shuddering as he recalled the pressure in the arena. “There are rumors of tampering with the tests going around!”

Kakeru nodded vigorously. “Yeah! It seems like it’s true though!”

Violet eyes narrowed at this and Yōu asked, “What do you mean?”

“There were too many dummies,” Arata stated blandly. “Eichi-san’s team and ours faced too many in the tests.”

Koi had a sour expression, “I don’t want to agree with him, but it’s true. Also our bases weren’t normal.” Iku nodded, “Oh yeah! You said something about our crystal tower being weird, right Yōu-san?”

“It had a strange aura to it and I remember Yoru said that he saw strange runes in the cave walls. The base being in the water was also unusual for you guys, Aoi.”

Kakeru looked confused, “But why would they do that? Eichi-san’s team was attacked before they even landed on the field properly.”

“To disqualify us, probably.”

Yoru’s voice intervened suddenly and all attention was focused on him as he tried to sit up, wincing slightly at the ache in his body. Yōu helped him gently and he leaned against the redhead, managing a weak smile at the others.

“Are you feeling better, Yoru?” Cat-like eyes scanned the teen’s body as Rui sat a little straighter. Yoru hummed. “A little, yes; but I still have to get the foreign magic out from my system. Don’t worry, it was necessary then, I don’t blame you,” he assured at the guilty looks from his friends.

“What did you mean by disqualifying us?”

“Oi Arata! He just woke up and you’re questioning him?!”

“Noisy…”

Aoi laughed sheepishly, “Ignore them, they’re being idiots like usual.” The others only grinned, used to the pair’s antics.

“I think I understand what Yoru means, though,” Yōu mused. “The captains were already revealed and to most, we’re the obvious choices for their teammates. They probably wanted to eliminate us from the tests.”

Everyone fell silent, taking in his words. Iku eventually said, “But it’s not like Hajime-san and the others would choose someone not good enough, right?”

“Yeah, but we’re good; I mean, we cleared the challenges despite being sabotaged. That has to count for something!” Kakeru chirped before falling quiet as he considered the consequences of being selected. “We’ll be sent to fight soon, huh?”

The others nodded, grave expressions on their faces.

“I don’t know if we’re ready, but we’ve got to do our best.”

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

A knock interrupted his thoughts and General Tsukino looked up.

“Come in.”

The door opened and a petite figure dressed in white stepped in silently, moving to stand before his desk.

“Good afternoon, General.”

“Tsubaki, take a seat. I assume you’re here to report?”

The leader of Seleas gracefully slid into the chair before speaking. “Yes, sir.”

Crossing his hands at her serious expression, Mikoto leaned back. “Very well, then. How are they?”

“All four of them will be fine after some rest. They suffered no physical injuries and the only problem is a second-level case of magic exhaustion. Nagatsuki Yoru is the worst of them, with third-level magic exhaustion and foreign magic needs to be flushed out of his system for him to completely recover.”

“I see.” Mikoto closed his eyes, sighing softly. “Will it pose a problem?”

The young girl shook her head, long white hair falling over her shoulders. “Mizuki is an expert at it, so she will assist Yoru in his recovery. He should be perfectly fine in two days.”

“What about the other cadets?”

“According to Yuki, Uduki Arata, Satsuki Aoi, Shiwasu Kakeru and Kisaragi Koi also had first-level magic exhaustion but they have already recovered. In the teams that failed, there were some with cuts but those were taken care of immediately. There are no serious issues.”

That was good; at least there weren’t too many problems. Shooting her a small smile, the general said, “Thank you for your hard work, Tsubaki; you may leave.”

Rising from her chair, she bowed elegantly and turned to leave just as another knock sounded. Inwardly sighing, the general called for them to come in. Tsukishiro Kanade stepped inside, nodding his head to Tsubaki who exited the room.

Saluting, the bespectacled man said, “We’ve completed the investigation, sir.”

“Already? That was faster than expected. So who was responsible?”

Waving his hand in front of him, Tsukishiro made four images appear in the air. “These people are instructors at the Academy. They didn’t want specific people to be selected so they tampered with certain components of the exam.”

“What did they do to the tests?”

Consulting the information on his tablet, the assistant replied, “They removed the upper limit for two of the tests and placed a regeneration component so that the dummies would be spawned endlessly until the timer went off.”

He paused, a hint of anger in his eyes. Noticing this, Mikoto had a bad feeling. “What else, Kanade?”

Swallowing harshly, Tsukishiro said, “The teleportation runes were completely erased from the last test. It would not activate no matter what the participants did, even if they defeated the dummies or lasted till the timer ended.”

General Tsukino had to reign in his magic upon hearing the other’s words, as it reacted violently to his anger. Forcing his voice to be calm he said, “There’s more. Tell me everything.”

“Yes, sir. Just like Yoru-kun had spotted during his test, we confirmed the existence of unusual runes engraved into the walls of the cave. Upon analysis, they were determined to be activated when the test ended. The purpose… was to bring down the cave and also to prevent any outside magic from affecting the area. It is still unknown as to how the snow and ice were formed though.”

The room was deathly quiet for a few moments. Mikoto knew that if Albion had not detected the tampering and kept an eye out for problems, they would have had four cadets dead right now. Deflating at the realization, he sunk into his chair with a sigh.

“Most likely, someone managed to override the runes. Anyway, throw the culprits into prison for now. Can I entrust the revamping of the Academy to you and Dai? Have Fumihiko help if necessary.”

Tsukishiro nodded, “Of course, sir. You can count on us. Also,” he stepped forward, placing a flash drive on the desk. “The captains sent in the data of their teams. But there’s nothing for Procellarum yet.”

The general chuckled. “I have a feeling Albion will come in personally, so it’s fine. Thank you, Kanade.” Taking the words as a dismissal as intended, the assistant bowed and left the room.

As soon as the door closed, Mikoto slumped. Bringing his hand up to rub his eyes, he felt a wave of relief at Albion’s insistence on picking his own teammates; if he hadn’t, he wouldn’t have been at the venue and there would have definitely been casualties. The captains’ combined strength would have been enough to break through but it could have been too late. He knew now that the other’s definition of dangerous was not normal though.

“Well, time to get to work.” He mumbled under his breath, inserting the flash drive into his computer. A screen popped up, showing the list of teams. Mikoto tapped on Six Gravity’s name and the image changed. Sweat-dropping at the amount of information, he let a wry smile cross his face and settled in to read.

An hour passed in silence, occasionally broken by the tapping of his fingers when the general was deep in thought. He had no qualms with Six Gravity, SolidS and SOARA, but the twins of QUELL really were much younger than he expected and Growth had only three members including the captain.

He knew he would approve of the teams nevertheless; he had seen the twins’ eyes and the look in them was much stronger than the other cadets. Despite having few members, Growth was balanced and they did have skill. Now, all that’s left is Procellarum.

 _‘I wonder when Albion is going to come in,’_ he thought before he caught a flash of white from the corner of his eye. Surprise filled him when he saw the captain he was just thinking of, leaning against the window with a passive expression.

“How long have you been there?”

“Quite a while. I am not surprised you did not notice me; I did suppress my presence completely,” Albion replied as he moved from the window to the chair. Once he was seated, he asked, “Do you want a verbal or a digital report?”

“Verbal, please. It would be easier than reading.”

“The chosen members are Haduki Yōu, Nagatsuki Yoru, Minaduki Rui and Kannaduki Iku. I’m certain you know who they are.”

Mikoto stared at him. “You took your vice-captain’s preferences? I didn’t expect that.”

Albion only shrugged, green eyes flickering with hidden thoughts. “It seemed the best option since I didn’t know anyone in the Academy. But the selection was not random; Yōu is good at strategy and Yoru can make up for his occasional carelessness. They have a perfect sensor in Rui and Iku is capable in both offense and defense.”

He paused for a beat.

“But that’s their individual strengths. What stood out most is their teamwork.”

The general interlaced his fingers, staring down at them. “I see. On the field that is what matters the most. What about the other teams? I’d like your opinion of them.”

The white-haired teen stared at him with a neutral expression for a few seconds before replying. “In terms of power, they are above average. Each team is balanced enough, with each member having complementary skills. I doubt teamwork will be a problem, since they know each other well. What they lack is experience and one vital thing.”

Albion stood up from his seat and made to head for the door. Stopping in place as Mikoto asked him what the vital thing was, he answered, “The knowledge that simulations and real life are very different.”

The words took the general by surprise and he blinked in confusion, before realizing it was the truth. Sighing softly, he called out, “I’d like you to watch over them, Albion. We cannot lose them.”

The young man only walked on, not reacting in any way to the general’s request.

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

In a large room in one of the sections of the Academy, twelve people could be seen seated in groups. There was little chatter and the air was silent with expectation.

Kensuke had fallen asleep on Ryota and the pale-haired teen had allowed it for once, content to read his book and wait for the other to wake up. Eichi was wrapping a blanket around the Kuga twins; the wait had gotten to them too and they had dozed off leaning on each other.

Even Nozomu did not have his usual energy, sitting quietly next to Ren who was glancing at him worriedly once in a while. Mori and Soushi were having a whispered conversation, frowns on their faces.

“Ahhhh!”

The sudden yell startled all the occupants of the room, the three who were asleep jerking awake. Tsubasa glared at something out the window, arms crossed and golden eyes dark. “Just what is going on here? Why are we locked up like this?”

Rikka glanced up from where he was showing some runes to Dai. “I don’t know, but perhaps it’s got something to do with the unusual tests?”

“What, they suspect us of doing it?”

Dai sighed, annoyed at his childhood friend’s antics. “Whatever it is, calm down. You’re disturbing the others.” Everyone was staring at them in amusement, not bothered by the noise or the situation they were in.

“I’m sure someone will tell us soon,” Eichi called out from his position near the twins. “We weren’t really rushed in or something, so I don’t think it’s something bad,” added Mori.

“I guess so…” Tsubasa wilted, pouting a bit. “But I still want to know what’s going on! Three of our tests were sabotaged and there’s no explanation!”

“Quiet down, we can hear from outside.”

All heads turned to the door at the new voice and four figures stepped in.

“Shiki!”

“Oh, Shu!”

“Sora-senpai!.”

“Hey, Kou!”

Shiki smirked at the surprised expressions before heading over to Tsubasa, Rikka and Dai, who stood up to greet him. The other three captains did the same, their friends welcoming them with smiles. Shu ruffled the twins’ hair, a proud expression on his face.

“You two have gotten stronger, Issei, Ichiru; you did well too, Eichi.”

Ichiru shrugged off the hand and grinned up at the older man, Issei and Eichi smiling at the praise. “What was wrong with the tests, though? The number of dummies we faced was ridiculous, Shu!”

The younger Kuga’s question caught the attention of everyone else and they looked expectantly for an answer. The four captains exchanged glances before moving to stand in the middle of the room. “This is informal, but you will get the official orders from the general later.”

Shiki stepped forward first. “Okui Tsubasa, Sera Rikka, Murase Dai; from now you three will be under me in the Offense Unit, SolidS.”

Shu went next. “As captain of the Defense Unit, QUELL, I will have Horimiya Eichi, Kuga Issei and Kuga Ichiru under my command.”

“Arihara Morihito, Kagurazaka Soushi, Munakata Ren and Nanase Nozomu will be with me in the Reconnaissance Unit, SOARA!” Sora said cheerfully.

Lastly, Kouki said with a small smile, “Sakuraba Ryota and Yaegashi Kensuke are my teammates in the Infiltration and Retrieval Unit, Growth.”

Complete silence reigned in the room, before the words sunk in and they all straightened, saluting.

“Does that mean Arata-san, Yōu-san and the others were selected too?” Ren asked as he slowly calmed down; the sudden announcements had taken them all off-guard.

Shu nodded in confirmation. “I’m certain Hajime has taken Arata, Aoi, Kakeru and Koi; but Procellarum is unknown since we don’t know the leader.”

“Eh? It wasn’t Kai-san?”

“No, Ken. The general said he chose someone from outside the Academy,” Kouki said, just as the door opened for a second time and the remaining members of the group entered. Seeing Yoru being supported by Yōu had Eichi and the twins scrambling to clear the couch, since theirs was closest to the door.

“Shiki-san, have you already told them about being selected?” Hajime asked as he made his way to the leaders. At the other’s nod, he turned back and gestured to Haru.

His friend laughed a bit and said, “You really want to avoid the troublesome things, don’t you Hajime? Alright; Uduki Arata, Satsuki Aoi, Shiwasu Kakeru, Kisaragi Koi.”

The four looked up from where they were talking to the others. “The four of you will be with us in the Black Specialized Unit, Six Gravity.”

“And you four will be with me in the White Specialized Unit, Procellarum!” Kai grinned as he threw his arms around his new teammates.

“Oi, wait. Who’s our leader then?” Yōu frowned at his vice-captain. The tall brunette scratched his head, a sheepish expression on his face. “We actually don’t know; his name is Albion but we haven’t seen him yet.”

“Leaving that aside, we need to tell you about what happened in the tests…”

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Green eyes stared impassively through the glass from high above, at the group that had just entered the units’ living quarters. They seem to come to some kind of decision before splitting up, Six Gravity and Procellarum heading in the direction of the building he was in.

Turning away from the window Albion walked out the door of his new room, hiding his presence as he went.

_‘Finally, they’re here.’_

 

 

 

 

Having gotten a tour of the place and picked their rooms, the members of Six Gravity and Procellarum headed to the training room; the newer members wanted to check out the equipment available.

“Really, who is our leader? He’s already shirking his responsibilities,” Yōu complained, violet eyes watching Yoru carefully; despite Mizuki’s best efforts, a small amount of foreign magic still resided in his body and threw him off-balance once in a while.

“Maybe he had something to do?” suggested Iku, though his tone indicated that he didn’t believe that himself. Hajime frowned; he was not getting a good impression of his counterpart and they still hadn’t met yet.

By this time they had reached the training room and the senior trio watched with amused looks as the younger ones wandered around the large room, marveling at the high-grade equipment around them. “Hajime-san, is it alright if I try out this one?”

Yōu was standing in front of a silver, highly durable dummy holding a sword. The dark haired teen nodded in acquiescence, calling for the others to get to the sides of the room and away from the line of fire.

Once they were at a safe distance, the redhead drew his sword. Settling into his stance, he watched as the dummy raised its sword as well. Dodging the swing that came down on him, his eyes widened in shock; it was faster than expected.

Grinning at the challenge, Yōu ducked under the next blow and slashed at the dummy’s unprotected back. The clang of metal resounded in the air as it twisted around in time and blocked. The teen jumped back a few feet and angled his sword. He swung up just as it descended from above, catching the dummy’s sword at the hilt and twisted, successfully wrenching it out of the dummy’s hands.

“And stop!”

Kai shouted from the other end of the room and the dummy froze in place. Yōu let a victorious smirk form on his face as he straightened, sheathing his sword.

“Your grip was too tight and your shoulders were stiff. You lack fluidity and your form needs practice.”

Criticizing words from an unknown voice echoed in the large room and all eyes turned to the source.

A slender teen with pale skin and snow white hair was leaning against the wall, dressed in a pure white uniform with silver trim. They could not see his eyes as they were hidden under the shadow cast by his matching cap. His arms were folded across his chest and his whole bearing seemed lax.

“Who are you?!” Yōu demanded, irritation visible on his face.

The figure raised his head revealing green eyes which sent a shudder down everyone’s spines; they were cold and emotionless. Tilting his head slightly, he considered the redhead before him.

“I don’t think you are in any position to order me around, Haduki Yōu. But I will answer your question.” Icy eyes flickered over to the others still standing at the other end of the room, assessing them.

“I am Procellarum’s captain; you may address me as Albion.”

Silence met his statement and the other occupants of the room stared at him in shock. Yōu recovered first, yelling, “Hah?! If you’re our leader then where were you till now?!”

“Yōu, calm down!” Yoru called out as he rushed over to him, the others following him. “But he has a point, you know; as our captain, you have responsibilities to do!” Kai said, as he rubbed the back of his head. Albion was too white with his pale skin, white hair and clothes; it gave him an unnatural feeling.

Hajime narrowed his eyes at his newly revealed counterpart. He disliked those who would shirk their duties and the other had already done so. “Why did you not show up before?”

“Should I?” Green eyes meet purple calmly, without a hint of emotion. “I have no real desire to be here.”

“But…the general said he picked you especially,” Iku trailed off as Yōu yelled, “Then why are you here? And how long have you been here in the first place?”

There was no immediate answer and the volatile redhead bristled, ready to shout again.

“I was here long before you even entered the room.”

“But that’s impossible! We saw no one when we came in!” shrieked Kakeru, Koi nodding in agreement. Haru, however, understood the meaning of the other’s words. “You suppressed your presence completely and then hid yourself from sight?”

This rang a bell in Hajime’s mind and the pieces he had been missing fell into place. “You,” he said suddenly, startling everyone else. But his attention was only on Albion, who simply stared back with his neutral expression.

“It was you back at the Academy, in the observation deck. I felt your presence, before you hid it completely.”

Albion neither confirmed nor refuted the statement, choosing to focus back on Yōu. “To answer your other question, I am here only because the general asked me to lead a team. I had no intention of stepping onto the battlefield.”

The soft words stunned everyone, any argument they might have had dying before they could say a word. Suddenly Albion’s eyes shifted and he seemed to disappear from their sight.

“Eh?! Albion-san?!”

Yoru’s startled and confused words had them all turning to see the white teen standing directly in front of the sick-looking brunette.

_’I didn’t even see him move!’_

Everyone had the same thought, before Yōu yelled, “What are you doing to him?!”

Albion raised his right hand, tapping Yoru’s forehead lightly with his index finger. A bright flash of light blinded them temporarily and wind whipped through their clothes. When it died down, they saw Yoru blinking confusedly and Albion had dropped his hand back to his side.

“You…!”

Yōu lunged at the white-haired teen, stumbling when the latter disappeared again. Twisting around on his heel he saw Albion walking to the door of the room, his white cape billowing behind him. The redhead made to move, but a hand wrapping around his wrist made him pause.

“Yoru, what are you-?”

He was cut off as the dark-haired teen shook his head. “He didn’t do anything bad to me, Yōu.”

“Are you sure?” Kai asked worriedly, as everyone crowded around the younger. Yoru nodded, “I actually feel better now; I think whatever he did, removed the remaining foreign magic from me.”

Just as he said, Yoru looked much better; the color of his skin was back to normal and the hint of pain that had lingered in his eyes had disappeared completely. To Yoru, his magic felt like his own with no disruption and flowed even smoother than before.

Everyone stared in surprise; they did not expect Albion to do something nice after he acted so cold. Turning around they looked for him, but the other had already left the room.

“Rui, is something wrong?”

The turquoise-eyed teen had been staring wide-eyed at the spot where Albion had stood. He blinked back to reality at Aoi’s question.

“He had the same magic…it was cold and unreal.”

The other three younger ones of Procellarum startled at his and Iku cried out, “Then it was Albion-san who saved us?!”

Kai and Six Gravity looked surprised, not having been there when the conversation took place. After a round of explanations, Haru mused, green eyes gleaming with curiosity, “He really is powerful then, to have performed such a feat. The runes on the cave walls were designed in such a way that no outside force could interfere,” he clarified at the younger ones’ confused expressions. “Despite that, he managed to retrieve you all safely.”

Silence reigned in the room again, all of them thinking about the mystery that was Albion. Deciding to break the tension, Hajime cleared his throat, calling all attention to him.

“In any case, we cannot let Albion affect our performance. Regardless of his presence, we must be ready to be sent out at any time. Keep that in mind and ensure that you do not slack in your training.”

The others straightened, determined expressions crossing their faces. In unison, they saluted, “Yes, sir!”

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really sorry for the late update, life got a little busy and my laptop started troubling me so I couldn't write for weeks. 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed it~  
> Please leave a review if you liked it; I'd love to hear from you!


	5. Training

 

 

 

**August 6,2303**

 

 

Shiki stood on the roof of the building assigned to SolidS and QUELL. The harsh wind blew around him, considering that he was at a very great height, his clothes whipping around him wildly and threatening to unbalance him. Despite the turbulence, he stood firm, purple eyes watching his team fight in a mock battle against their counterpart unit, spells flying everywhere.

A hint of ice and snow entered his sensory range suddenly and the captain stiffened. Turning around, he stretched his senses thin in an attempt  to pinpoint the source of the unusually cold magic. Normally, he wouldn’t have bothered to find out who the magician was - despite Ice magic being ridiculously rare, it didn’t really interest him - but the magic was highly familiar to him.

The purple haired leader had a small sensory range but Shiki had a knack for memorizing magic signatures even after encountering them only once and so he recognized the new presence as the mysterious one from the sabotaged test a few days ago. From what Hajime had told him, the presence belonged to the captain of Procellarum, Albion.

 _‘You’re an interesting person, Albion,’_ he mused, recalling the disgruntled yet impressed expression on the face of Six Gravity’s captain. _‘Not many are able to go undetected by Hajime, especially in close quarters.’_

Sharp purple eyes finally caught sight of the elusive leader making his way towards the tallest building in the vicinity, the Central Administration building and Moon Garden’s HQ. Just as he was about to take a closer look, the sound of feet hitting tiles distracted him.

“Shu.”

“Shiki. It’s not like you to be distracted,” Shu said as he walked up to his friend, light blue orbs reflecting amusement and a hint of curiosity.

“Hmm, I know,” Shiki hummed under his breath; leave it to Shu to catch him off guard when he least expects it. He shot the other a small smirk, turning back to wave a hand absently in the direction of Albion’s presence. “Although anyone would be distracted by that icy magic.”

Frowning slightly, the leader of QUELL stepped up next to him, pausing for a moment to call upon his magic to help reinforce his place on the roof. Following Shiki’s line of sight, light blue eyes found the slender figure of the only captain they had yet to meet personally. Fawn-colored eyebrows wrinkled in thought as he gazed at Albion; the new person was completely unfamiliar to him.

“Have you seen him before, Shiki?”

“…no. I have not. I heard Haru did a search for him in the database but came up with nothing.”

A light eyebrow arched in confusion, Shu looking at Shiki with an enquiring expression. He knew that there was no way that any resident in the Moon Garden was unaccounted for; humanity was pushed to the edge of extinction and so it had been made mandatory to record every living human.

“Is that even possible?”

As far as Shu knew, the Moon Garden’s database was the largest that had ever been in Japan and it was improbable that no records of Albion existed. The white-haired captain must have come from somewhere, regardless of whether he had been born in the Garden or one of the former shelters, which were now lost to the Vine Puppets.

Shiki shook his head, trying to clear it of the thoughts running rampant in his brain. “I don’t know. I think that he does have information on him but it’s either hidden beneath layers of security or under his real name, with no pictures attached to help identify him. Most likely the former, since everyone’s appearance is recorded to prevent falsification of data.”

Nodding in agreement, Shu turned back to regard the white figure below them, choosing to ponder on the new information later. He tensed; Albion no longer had his back to them but was looking in their direction, emerald eyes narrowed and dangerous.

“ _Shiki_.”

Picking up on Shu’s posture, Shiki whipped around towards the distant white figure, watching the faraway captain with keen eyes, not willing to miss a movement. Even from this distance, the two on the roof could see stony emerald green orbs regarding them, seemingly with curiosity.

Albion’s face showed no expression and no emotion as he watched the pair on the roof. Dismissing them as no threat, he turned around and disappeared into the building, his white cape billowing behind him.

Shiki let out a breath that he didn’t realize he was holding, releasing his tight grip on the hilt of his sword that he had reached for unknowingly. Shu was frowning, his body still tensed as he watched his trembling hand. He had never felt such a sensation before, especially not from a fellow human.

“What monstrous presence…yet I didn’t notice it until he left.”

“….”

“What is it, Shiki?”

The purple haired leader seemed pensive, his focus directed inward.

“…I couldn’t tell the extent of his power; it felt bottomless and yet at the same time, it seems like he has no magical power. But we know he does, if his feat during the test was any indication. And while I have no reason to trust him, I can give him the benefit of doubt since the General seems to trust him.”

Turning away from the now empty path, Shu looked down at their friends. SolidS and QUELL had long since finished their battle and were now cooling down, recovering from their exhaustion. He smiled at Ichiru who was waving to him from the training grounds, while Tsubasa yelled at Shiki for being distracted from watching the fight.

“As long as he is on our side, I won’t doubt him. We can’t afford to, considering our limited fighting power. I don’t want to lose anyone.”

The two of them were very much aware of all the things that could go wrong once their teams stepped outside the protective shields around the Moon Garden. Only they among all the newest members had ever encountered the Vine Puppets in person. There was no describing the  horror one felt upon seeing them for the first time and realizing that they were about to kill something that was once human. Should they freeze in shock on the battlefield, it could end up costing their life.

Shiki placed a reassuring hand on his friend’s shoulder; he also knew the pain of loss and the feeling of emptiness it could bring if one wallowed in it.

“We won’t, Shu. We’ll protect them, no matter what.”

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

“Nozomu! Careful where you’re aiming that thing; you could have fried me!”

Sora yelped as he dodged yet another fireball, using a gust of wind to propel himself out of the line of fire. SOARA was in a mock battle against Growth, just like SolidS and QUELL. Magic whipped through the air in random directions and in unpredictable patterns, blades flashing in the sunlight as the eight teens ran about, scattered throughout the training ground. Despite their greater numbers – five versus three - SOARA was losing against Growth who had the upper hand with their superior teamwork.

“Sorry, Sora-senpai! It’s really hard to control fire, you know!” Nozomu shouted, a sheepish expression on his face as he wrestled with his magic. SOARA could have equaled in the fight if it weren’t for his poor aim when attempting pinpoint attacks; the redhead had strong magic but little control over it sometimes and it seemed like it was one of those times now.

Soushi sighed as he noticed Ren defend Nozomu from an onslaught of energy arrows, courtesy of Kouki who was practically a whirlwind as he flitted about the training ground. Ryota was supporting his leader while Kensuke used his high defensive capabilities to protect his two teammates from harm.

 _‘This is going nowhere,’_ he thought, as he watched the youngest member of his team with a weary expression. All they were doing was running away from both enemy and friendly fire. If this continued, the only thing they would be good at would be retreating and that definitely wouldn’t help them on an actual battlefield. Catching Mori’s eye, the two held a silent conversation and came to a quick decision.

Raising his staff, Mori sent a spray of multi-colored sparks into the air high above them, attracting everyone’s attention.

“Shall we stop for now? We clearly need to work on our skills before we attempt anymore team battles.”

Nods of agreement met this statement and everyone relaxed, putting away their weapons. Sora flopped onto the ground, drained of energy. He usually provided support and attacked from the air, so he had had to dodge fireballs while also using his magic to help his team. Needless to say, he was exhausted and disgruntled. A shadow fell over the captain of SOARA, shielding him from the glare of the sun and made him peer up into a smiling face.

“Mori!”

“You okay down there, Sora?” Mori asked, amusement audible in his voice as he held out a hand. Sora had the tendency to use up his magic quickly, being eager to finish a battle quickly and swiftly; the bespectacled teen attributed it to the other’s personality, it was why wind-natured magic suited him so perfectly.

Sora took the hand extended to him with a grin and allowed Mori to pull him to his feet. He was still a bit dizzy but it didn’t bother him all that much. Something cold hit his head from behind and he looked up to see Soushi holding a water bottle towards him.

Grumbling about giants and handsome guys, Sora grabbed the bottle and gulped down the contents. “Hah~ That hit the spot!” he exclaimed, before doing some stretches to ensure his muscles relaxed from the earlier battle. He looked over the grounds trying to spot their counterpart unit, finally finding them under the shade of the trees in the corner.

Unlike SOARA, Growth seemed completely unharmed with barely any hint of exhaustion. It was understandable though; with Ryota’s shields and Kensuke’s defense there was no way attacks could get through to them easily. Kouki didn’t even need to come close to attack and his accuracy with his bow was deadly, not to mention the power behind each shot.

It didn’t make him feel depressed though; if anything, it only gave Sora the motivation to get stronger. He looked at his team, who returned his look with grins or smiles and he knew that they’d become even better. With that thought in mind he bounced over to Growth, a cheerful and bright grin on his face.

“Hey guys! You were as amazing as always!”

The trio, distracted from their conversation, turned towards the new addition. “Thank you, the same goes to you,” Kouki replied, smiling slightly. Ryota nodded in agreement, adding, “It could have been better if Nozomu could control his magic a little more.”

Seven pairs of eyes swung towards said redhead, who rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “Sorry…I’ll keep practicing! I want to be the best in Fire Magic!” Nozomu declared, determination burning in his eyes just like the crimson flames he produced.

“For that you’d have to get up early for practice, something you don’t do unless Ren drags you out of bed,” Soushi said dryly, Ren sighing in agreement. Nozomu was the worst in SOARA when it came to waking up, even Sora got up immediately when Mori or Soushi called for him.

“Nothing is impossible for the charismatic Nozomu!” said redhead yelled in conviction. “Just wait and see, I’ll be so good that I’ll leave you all in the dust!” Everyone laughed at that and the usual banter started up, leaving the disastrous practice match in the past.

But the comments from everyone still lingered and the threat that his magic posed in its uncontrolled state was very dangerous and that led to the youngest tossing and turning in bed that night. _‘Everyone is so good,’_ thought Nozomu as he lay under his blankets. _‘I don’t want to hold them back.’_

Sleep didn’t seem to be coming to him and so he decided to sneak out. Cautiously climbing out of bed, he changed into his training clothes. Not bothering with a light, Nozomu stepped out into the corridor which was shrouded in darkness. For an instant, he debated on waking Ren but chose not to; the silver-haired teen was exhausted, his magic reserves were slightly lower than the others and so he needed more rest.

Making his way out of ALIVE’s building, Nozomu shivered. _‘It really is cold; maybe I should have grabbed a sweater.’_ But the walk back to his room didn’t appeal to him. “I’ll just run a bit and I’ll be warm soon!” He had no intention of using their own training grounds; if the noise he made didn’t wake his friends, the magic in the air would. He did not want a cranky Ren giving him a beat-down.

Soon Nozomu was at the largest training hall in the facility, common to all the units. The silent night was eerie but he didn’t let it bother him. All the more motivation to make noise to fill the silence! But even he with his low sensitivity to magic sensed it: a coldness in the air that was not natural. Someone else was already here ahead of him.

Curious and not really scared since it couldn’t possibly be an enemy, he crept through the grounds and soon the sounds of something hitting a hard surface reached his ears. Turning a corner, he stopped in his tracks.

A person dressed completely in white stood in the center of the grounds, so white that he seemed to glow in the darkness of the night; even his hair and skin was white to match his clothes. The unknown person had his back to Nozomu so he couldn’t see the color of the other’s eyes.

As the redhead watched, the other raised his hand in front of him, palm facing up. Brown eyes widened in surprise as an ice crystal formed on the open palm, sparkling beautifully.

_‘This person has Ice Magic!!’_

Ice magic was one of the rarest magic, alongside Light and Dark Magic. Magicians with Water Magic could manipulate ice to an extent, like Satsuki Aoi of Six Gravity, but pure Ice Magic was capable of so much more. And this person was manipulating it with ridiculous ease!

Nozomu broke out of his stupor as the crystal broke apart to form miniature crystals, surrounding the person. Curious as to what would happen next, he kept watching closely. They hovered in the air for a few moments, lighting up the darkness by reflecting the little moonlight. A flick of the other’s hand and they all went flying, crashing into the targets in the other side of the grounds.

“That was so cool!!!”

All the crystals had hit dead-center, not even a millimeter out of place. In his excitement, Nozomu yelled eagerly, running up to the magician still standing in the middle of the ground.  He didn’t care if the other was a practical stranger, he could teach him how to do that with his Fire Magic!!

“Hey, hey! That was so amazing! You have got to teach me that! How do you hit everything right in the center? You have to tell me!!”

In the back of his mind, Nozomu could already hear Ren scolding him for shouting and bothering a stranger but he didn’t care. He wanted to get stronger and if this person could possibly help him, he’d take it! Eyes sparkling in excitement, he stared at the other.

The white-haired male finally turned to look at him and Nozomu flinched. The other’s eyes were green, a pretty shade in his opinion but the coldness in them was frightening. His pale skin added to the feeling, making him seem a cold, emotionless porcelain doll.

Unconsciously taking a step back, Nozomu swallowed harshly. Maybe this was a mistake, the other was now mad and he was going to be frozen in ice for eternity. His mind was screaming at him to run away but his body refused to move, his feet stuck to the ground. Just as he was about to take his words back and apologize, the other made to speak.

“Magic is not a physical weapon; you do not need precision. Focus on where you want your spell to hit and let your magic do the rest.”

Albion had been aware of the younger teen’s presence from the moment Nozomu had stepped into the training hall. He had wondered whether the redhead would approach him or not. It was clear that the other had Fire Magic; the inferno in his magic core was uncontrolled and as a result, pulled at Albion’s own magic in an attempt to quell the flames.

The white-haired teen knew that Fire Magic was dangerous to the magician themselves, especially for one with a core this rampant. However, it appeared that Nozomu himself was not aware of it. He didn’t blame the other members for not noticing the danger; it was not truly possible for a person to know the state of a magician’s core, unless they were a sensor of the highest caliber. But it did not answer why the younger’s core had no restraints. Had he not undergone a scan on his core? Just what was the Academy doing? Did they intend to kill the boy?

Albion, despite his decision to not interfere, still could not allow the teen to lose his life due to the carelessness of ignorant and foolish people. Making a mental note to inform General Tsukino, he reached out to Nozomu’s core with his own magic. The change was immediate; the flames calmed and the energy settled to a low hum.

The younger’s exuberance made him raise an eyebrow, though. It seemed that it was not only his magic that was lively but his personality as well. Albion could see that Nozomu was visibly scared by his expression but decided to answer his question.

Once the words were out of his mouth he turned around, leaving a shell-shocked Fire mage still standing frozen behind him. Just as he was about to leave the area, a thought occurred to him and he tossed a little more advice over his shoulder, certain that the other would follow it.

“Also, if you use the Fireball technique, reduce the size and concentrate more magic into it.”

“Huh?”

Nozomu blinked, he had expected to be frozen to death not receive advice! When he focused on his surroundings again, the white-haired stranger had already left. He could admit that the other scared him a lot, but he couldn’t be all that bad. After all, Nozomu was sure that he had been pretty rude, sneaking up him like that.

“Yosh! Time to practice!”

He slapped his cheeks lightly, turning to stare at the targets in the distance. The best thing about the facility was that runes were inscribed all over the place and damaged equipment repaired itself. Recalling the advice given to him he frowned, wondering how to go about it.

“Reduce the size, huh? Maybe like this?”

Taking a deep breath, Nozomu called his magic and was surprised to find it answering him quickly; normally, he would have to wrestle it into doing his bidding. Shrugging it off, he focused on making the magic form a small sphere, about the size of a tennis ball.

“Oh, oh! That person said I should make it more powerful! Then I’ll do this!”

He poured more magic than he usually would into the little sphere, making it burn bright. Deciding it was enough, he looked back at the targets.

“I want to hit them all like he did; I should have asked him how he made all those little crystals too!”

Deflating at the missed opportunity, he stared at the little ball in his hand.

_‘Is this tiny thing really going to be powerful?’_

”I won’t know till I try! Let’s go!”

Concentrating on the center of the target straight ahead of him, Nozomu willed his magic to hit it and launched the little ball. Wincing as he saw the sphere fly off wildly, he sighed.

“This is no good- Huh?”

Jaw dropping in shock, he stared as the fireball curved in the air, changing its trajectory automatically and heading straight for the target. Seconds later there was a loud crash and the sphere dissipated, leaving a gaping hole in the target, the edges burnt black.

“I…it…it actually hit dead-center! Woohoo! I did it! Yay!”

Jumping in the air, Nozomu celebrated his success. He had never been able to do that before! He finally understood the advice he had been given. Magic didn’t need to be forced, it answered to the will of the wielder. The next time he saw the older teen, he was going to thank him profusely. Now, he could get stronger.

With new resolve, Nozomu threw himself into his practice. And if in a few hours, he was hit by Soushi and scolded by Ren for disappearing in the night without even leaving a note, even if he was covered in bruises and exhausted, he knew his little venture was worth it.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

**August 9, 2303**

 

 

A bolt of golden light whizzed through the air, heading towards the dummy on the far end of the room. But before it could reach even halfway across, it fizzled out, leaving small yellow sparkles floating in the air that soon disappeared.

“Failed again…”

“Maybe you should try something else?”

Aoi suggested as he stared at his friend sympathetically; Yoru had been at this since early morning with no progress. The brunette slumped, he knew his magic reserves were large but the element he possessed had barely any documentation. This led to his current dilemma.

“Why did I have to have Light Magic?”

Some might think having one of the rarest magic would have made him happy, but the reality was far off. The truth was that Light Magic was generally meant for healing and so, often manifested in girls. This meant that there was nothing for Yoru to study, considering that he needed his magic for offensive purposes. Even healing was impossible, because the flow of magic in boys was different from girls and he couldn’t learn from them.

“Ah, but you’re good at general spells! Perhaps you can try to improve upon that?” the blonde in the room said. Aoi couldn’t understand the other’s situation since he himself had Water Magic, but he could empathize with the feeling to get stronger.

Yoru shook his head.

“I’ve tried,” he admitted, with a self-deprecating smile on his face. “But it takes too much power to stabilize a single spell. I think for swift battles I might be fine, but the situation won’t always be in my favor….”

The duo winced in unison; real fights outside the Moon Garden were unpredictable and no one could tell how any situation might change. They had to prepare for all kinds of circumstances. If they went down due to magic exhaustion, their friends would have to cover for them, which would in turn endanger everyone.

“I want to keep trying,” said Yoru. “Even if it is a single spell, I have to master it. I don’t want to hold back my team.”

Smiling at the other’s determination, Aoi glanced at the book in his hands. After hours of searching, they had found a single record of offensive Light spells but it seemed it was useless. Yoru made his way from across the room, sitting on the ground next to him and peering over his shoulder at the open pages.

“If I try to focus on the shape more, would it help?”

“I don’t know, the book doesn’t say anything. I guess it’s going to be all experi- Eh?”

The sound of the door sliding open startled the pair and their heads swiveled in sync as the newcomer stepped in, pausing in his step as his eyes fell on the two already in the room.

“Nagatsuki Yoru. Satsuki Aoi.”

Albion stared dispassionately at them for a moment before his eyes fell on the battered old book lying open on Aoi’s lap. Silvery white strands of hair fell into his eyes as he tilted his head to the side in curiosity, where had they found that useless thing?

“…I thought I told Mikoto-san to burn that book.”

“Eeeeh?!!! Why?!”

Yoru stared at his captain, blue eyes wide with shock.

“Because it’s useless,” the white-haired teen said simply. “That book has no real information; it was written by a non-magician with fantasies.”

Deflating, Yoru mourned his magic again. It seems like he had no choice but to stick to Neutral Magic spells and the illusionist versions of Light Magic. “Guess I really am useless…”

Watching in contemplation as Aoi tried to comfort the brunette who had a storm cloud hanging over his head, depression dulling his features, Albion thought, _‘A magician with low self-esteem, will not survive if he loses sight of his goal. A pity, since he holds so much potential.’_

Just as he was about to leave, a voice called out to him.

“Um…Albion-san?”

Stopping in his tracks, Albion turned around to see that Yoru had gotten to his feet. The brunette was fidgeting with his hands, but determinedly held eye contact with emerald orbs.

“Could you…” Yoru cleared his throat nervously, gathering his courage. His captain was quite intimidating. “Could you teach me some spells? Anything would be fine!”

“Why do you ask me?”

“Ah…um…well, it sounded like you had some experience with Light Magic, so I thought you might know something…I’m sorry!”

The flustered teen bowed, embarrassed at his own inability to sound confident.

“Very well.”

“Really?! Thank you so much!”

Joy filled the brunette for an instant, then confusion reigned. _‘Isn’t the captain an Ice-type? How can he help me? But I was the one who asked…’_

Aoi sweat-dropped next to him while Albion raised a pale eyebrow. Yoru flushed in embarrassment, he realized he had spoken his thoughts aloud. Yet, it didn’t seem like Albion was offended; rather he seemed amused, despite his expression not changing in the slightest.

“Because I can do this.”

A vertical rod of golden light formed in the air next to the captain, hovering for a bit as it revolved to assume a horizontal position. Suddenly, it shot forward at a great speed, piercing the dummy Yoru had been using for target practice.

Dumbfounded, the younger duo stared at the destruction the single rod had created, eyes wide and jaws slack. Finally Aoi found his voice, stammering, “T-That was powerful!”

“Can I do that?”

Yoru’s voice reflected his doubt; he couldn’t even call upon his Light Magic properly, there was no way he could master such a destructive spell.

“Nothing will start if you give up before even taking a single step forward.”

The Light Magician startled at the tone of his captain’s words. They were reprimanding and harsh, but also held authority. It was like Albion was telling him to stop cowering and face himself. He knew the other was right, Yoru had a tendency to run away if the situation got too hard for him to handle. It was something Yōu was always scolding him for.

“Can you show me again?”

Albion was right; he wouldn’t get anywhere if he didn’t try. Yoru stepped up next to his captain, determination and resolve shining in his blue eyes. He would give it all he had and if he failed, he would just try again.

From the sidelines, Aoi watched with a smile as Yoru attempted the spell under the careful guidance of his captain. Considering how cold Albion had been at their first meeting and the fact that he had not turned up for training, it was a pleasant surprise to see him assisting Yoru so easily.

It also caused him to feel a little jealous. Hajime was a wonderful captain, helping him with his control but the dark-haired teen was a master of Sword Techniques, using magic only to aid his strength. The blonde would have loved a mentor who could guide him through his training, just like Albion was doing with Yoru.

An ideal one would have been Albion himself; his Ice Magic meant that he was proficient in Water and Wind Magic. But Aoi was a member of Six Gravity, not Procellarum and that made him hesitant to ask.

_“Nothing will start if you give up before even taking a single step forward.”_

The white captain’s words echoed in his mind and looking up, sky-blue eyes met emerald. Albion was watching Aoi, his eyes narrowed but expectant. It was like he knew what the blonde was thinking. _‘Perhaps he does know,’_ Aoi mused, a wry smile on his lips. He took a step forward, towards the pair in the center of the room.

_‘I won’t know if he’ll help unless I ask.’_

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

**August 15, 2303**

 

 

It was just after dinner and all the members of the six units minus one were relaxing in the common room in the Central Facility, for once not in their own quarters. The atmosphere was calm and cheerful, causing some of them to slump boneless in their chairs, already on the way to sleep.

This mood was not to continue though, as the doors were pushed open and the general stepped in followed by his assistants. A feeling of seriousness settled over the group when they saw the grim expressions on the newcomers’ faces.

“All divisions to attention!”

Immediately scrambling to their feet, the cadets assembled in front of the general, sorted by units, their captains in front of him. Noticing the absence of their captain, Kai face-palmed and spoke up.

“General, Procellarum’s captain is not here.”

Irritated mutters were heard from the middle of the group. Yōu was already angry with his captain, Albion had not turned for practice even once, apart from that one session with his partner and Aoi.

“Why is that idiot even our captain?!”

“Yōu, quiet!”

Mikoto sighed; it seemed like Albion was adamant on making his hair turn gray.

“Albion, I know you’re here. For the sake of my sanity, reveal yourself please.”

A short pause and then.

“ _Hai._ ”

To the shock of everyone else in the room, the white-haired teen materialized out of nowhere, gliding soundlessly over the floor to take his place in front of his team. He focused his attention on the general, choosing to ignore the glare from the redhead behind him and Hajime’s look of disapproval.

“Now that everyone is here, let’s get down to business. Late this afternoon, our sensors picked up traces of the Vine Puppets in a location about a hundred miles south-west of here.”

Perfect silence reigned in the room, as the cadets processed the information. Some turned pale but stood firm.

“We did not detect large numbers but after our last disaster we’ll be sending more teams than the normal protocol. Six Gravity, Procellarum, SolidS and QUELL will be assigned to this mission.”

Sharp nods met his statement and the general nodded back in approval.

“I originally intended to send only SolidS and QUELL since Shiki and Shu already been on the field before, but I want Six Gravity and Procellarum to gain experience too.”

“Yes, sir!”

The four units saluted, steel in their expressions. They will be successful, there was no other option. Turning his attention to the remaining two units, Mikoto addressed them.

“We also picked up a weak SOS signal thirty minutes ago. Growth will be leaving on a rescue mission once we have confirmed the location. SOARA will be providing them with assistance.”

Looking over all the gathered cadets, the general sighed inwardly. _‘Most of them are children and so young. I really don’t want to send them out.’_ But he had no choice. It was also one of the reasons why he had ensured that Albion accompanied QUELL; the twins were the youngest, just thirteen years old. Mikoto had read their profiles so he knew they were the least likely to freeze up on the battlefield. Also Shu and Eichi would throw themselves in the line of fire before the twins would get a scratch.

Still, better safe than sorry.

A movement of his hand and the assistants moved forward, handing a folder to each captain. “These contain the details we have so far of your missions. Read through them carefully. You will also attend a briefing before you’re dispatched. I suggest you make your preparations now and get some rest. Dismissed.”

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

“Kai.”

“Wha- Albion?!”

Taken off-guard as Albion pushed something into his hands, Kai blinked in surprise. He had been given the folder with the details of their mission. “Aren’t you going to go over this?” he queried, in confusion.

“I already know the information. I don’t need it.”

“Wait, wait, wait! Where the heck do you think you’re going?!” Yōu shouted in anger. He had enough of his irresponsible leader who didn’t even care to get to know them. “You’re our captain, dammit! You’re supposed to discuss plans and formations with us, not run off as you please!”

“…your usual form is enough for the battlefield… _if_ you can manage not to freeze up.”

Saying this, Albion disappeared just as silently as he had arrived.

“Why that….! Disappearing like that!” Yōu seethed in frustration, as Yoru sweat-dropped at his side. After his little session with his captain, Yoru’s opinion of him had increased positively. Also something about what he had just said…

“He said our usual form…that means he has been watching us training. Otherwise he wouldn’t know…”

Iku nodded in agreement. “Maybe he just didn’t want to join us? If he at least knows our skills, it should be okay, right?”

“Maa, I guess so,” Kai ran a hand through his hair; his captain was proving to be really troublesome. He just hoped no one got hurt badly tomorrow. Smiling fondly at Rui who was draped half-asleep over Iku, he wondered what Albion would do; their captain was powerful, definitely on par with the other captains. Perhaps even stronger. Leaving the issue of his partner aside for now, there was something he still needed to know.

“Are you guys okay with this? Being sent out so early, I mean,” Kai clarified with a sweat-drop, when he was subjected to four confused stares.

The other members of Procellarum exchanged glances, Yōu speaking up with a frown. “Honestly speaking, no, I’m not. But we won’t be any more ready than this; if we keep waiting, we’re not going to learn anything.”

“We have to go,” Iku continued. “To protect those dear to us, we have to give it our all.”

Kai sighed, grinning slightly. His friends were so stubborn, but so was he. Ruffling the younger ones’ hair much to their protest, he ushered them out of the room cheerfully.

“We’ll watch each other’s backs and for that we need to get ready! Your vice-captain orders that you check your equipment and then off to bed you go!”

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Shu watched with a smile as Eichi fussed over the twins, who were protesting being coddled, especially Ichiru. Issei and Ichiru were among the youngest in the entire force. The only other thirteen year olds belonged to VAZZY, but they wouldn’t see much of actual combat.

He could tell that it weighed harshly on the general, having to send children out to fight. That’s why Shu wanted to share the burden and he knew the others would help him, having noticed Shiki and Hajime watching the twins with protective eyes. Even Sora and Kouki would do so, when they had the chance.

Eichi was also aware of the Kuga twins’ abilities and knew what they had gone through, the only other persons being Shu and Shiki. It still grated on his instincts, wanting to wrap them in cotton wool. But for all his fussing, he would still let them stand on their own feet. That’s why he and Shu gotten them something. Catching his partner’s eye, the tall brunette nodded slightly.

“Issei, Ichiru. Come here for a second, won’t you?”

Exchanging curious glances, the twins walked over to Shu, taking a seat on either side of him on the couch. Ichiru leaned forward, supporting his weight on his arms.

“What is it, Shu? You look serious.”

Light blue eyes considered him for a moment and the older man said, “Like Eichi, I also don’t want either of you to fight tomorrow.” When the twins made to protest, he raised his hand in a gesture to allow him to finish. “But I also know that you can do it. That’s why we got a present for the two of you.”

Shu extended a cobalt blue case to Issei, while Eichi gave an identical red one to Ichiru. Hiding a smile when the kids just stared at the gifts with lost expressions, Shu prompted them to open them.

Shrugging slightly when Ichiru glanced at him, Issei turned his attention to his case. It wasn’t very large and had intricate patterns. Hand shifting to grasp at the clasp, he noticed Ichiru do the same. Curiosity getting the better of them, the pair tugged them open.

The contents made them stare in amazement: each case held a dagger, beautifully crafted and deadly. The twins already used similar weaponry, small blades being perfect for their style of fighting. Ichiru reached for his first; picking it up from the velvet cushion it sat upon, he held to the light.

Shimmering softly in the dim lights of the room, Ichiru’s dagger was a fiery crimson with silver patterns swirling around it. The blade itself was curved in the shape of a crescent moon and slightly jagged. Eager to test it, he grabbed the hilt and tried a few experimental swings. Needless to say, it was perfect.

“These are made of magic crystals, aren’t they? Shu?” Issei said, having finally torn his gaze from his case. His own dagger was a twin to Ichiru’s, the color alone being different; it was a deep cobalt blue.

The revelation made the younger Kuga whip his head towards his captain in shock. “Magic crystals are ridiculously expensive, Shu! Especially ones this size!” he yelled. He didn’t think it was worth it to give him something so valuable.

The fawn haired man only shook his head. “You two are far more precious,” he said, placing a hand on each twin’s head when they looked at him with wide eyes. “We want you to be safe; if better weapons can help towards that goal, then we’ll spend all the money we have.”

“Besides,” Eichi chimed in, wrapping his arms around their shoulders, “They are extremely durable and won’t break in combat! Let them protect you, okay?”

“But…but..”

“Stop protesting and accept them, okay?” Shiki interrupted, a smirk on his face. “Shu isn’t going to take them back regardless of what you say, so just take them. They are excellent equipment and you do need them.”

“Shiki-san…” trailed Issei, dark blue sliding back to his dagger. The blade glimmered a bit, as though asking him to wield it. A small smile made its way across his lips and he nodded.

“Okay. Thank you, Shu, Eichi. We’ll take good care of them.”

“We’ll protect you guys as well, so leave it to us!”

Ichiru grinned, sharing a quick glance with his brother. Shu and Eichi meant a lot to the two of them and they’d be damned if anything hurt their little family. No matter what, they’ll protect it: this little warm space they had created for themselves.

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another long chapter...I think almost every chapter will be this long or even longer.
> 
> So, we got to know a little more about the members this time~  
> What do you think of them all?  
> Is there anyone you want to see specifically?


	6. First Battles

 

 

 

Anxiety.

That was the feeling that enveloped his very core.

Normally, Hajime would never feel anxious. But this was no normal situation, it was something beyond normal comprehension.

He believed in his teammates, in everyone on the active force.

Even so, it did not quell his turbulent emotions. If it was only him or some of the older members, he wouldn’t have worried so much. But children were being sent to fight, fight in a battle that was not their responsibility to be in.

The dark haired teen was pacing the length of his room, tension in every line of his body. He knew everyone tried to act confident, but it was clear as day that they were afraid. It wasn’t necessarily because of the same thing, but the fear was still there.

A knock on his door interrupted his thoughts and Hajime stilled. For a second, he stood frozen on the spot, before spinning around to answer it. Pulling the door open, purple orbs meet the green ones of his best friend.

“…Haru.”

“Morning, Hajime. You’re looking a little peaky.”

Haru teased as he stepped into the room, Hajime closing the door behind him. The captain’s room was impeccable as always, neat and tidy, everything in its rightful place. Deciding to take a seat on one of the chairs, Haru considered his friend, an assessing look in his eyes.

To anyone else, Hajime might seem fine; he was not one to show outward signs of negative feelings. It was glaringly obvious to him though, that he was worried about something.

“It’s going to be fine, you know.”

“How do you know?”

Hajime didn’t question what he meant, he knew Haru could read him like a book. The other only looked back at him calmly, a knowing gleam in his eyes.

“Because you’ll protect us if we need it.”

Some of the tension in his shoulders eased and the knot in his stomach disappeared. Haru was right; Hajime would never let his friends be hurt but it was the overwhelming trust the others had in him that calmed his nerves.

Nodding slightly, Hajime let a small smile curve his lips.

“Thanks, Haru.”

“Oh~? The Black King actually expressed his gratitude? This must be my lucky d- Ow, ow, ow, that hurts, Hajime! I’m sorry!”

“You are not, seeing that you are still laughing,” Hajime retorted dryly, nevertheless removing his hand from the other’s face.

Their light banter was relaxing though and Hajime felt the tension drain from his body. His vice-captain was right, it wasn’t explicit but the thought was clear:

_You are not alone._

_‘If we work together, we can do it,’_ Hajime mused, as he clipped his sword to his belt. Gesturing for Haru to follow, he walked out of his room, shoulders straight and a new confidence in his entire bearing.

Smiling inwardly as he heard Haru fall into step behind him, he strangely felt that everything will turn out fine. There were no guarantees of safety on the battlefield, but that only meant that they had to be made.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Procellarum’s floor was silent, most of the occupants down in the dining hall for breakfast. It provided the perfect opportunity for Kai, who had wanted to speak to his leader alone.

He did not dislike his captain; rather, he was curious about the mysterious pale teen who had assisted various members around the base with their skills. For someone who claimed that he had no intention to interfere, Albion was actually quite helpful, albeit in an odd way.

_‘Why the hell does he alone have a customized door?’_

Kai thought, amused and a little exasperated; it was pure white, patterned with silver snowflakes. Shrugging, he knocked on the wood and waited.

There was a moment of silence before the doors swung open soundlessly, allowing him access to the interior of his captain’s room. Kai didn’t hesitate, stepping inside swiftly.

Blue eyes took in the room with interest, it was tidy but bare; it didn’t seem lived in and had no real personality to it, apart from a large bookcase at one corner of the room. And everything was white, really white.

Thanks to this, it took Kai a moment to spot his leader. Albion was seated on the frame of the open window overlooking the grounds, green eyes blank and unseeing as he stared outside; it didn’t look like he knew his vice-captain was there.

As if to prove this assumption wrong, the white-haired teen blinked, turning his head slightly to face Kai.

“...yes?”

“Oh yeah, right! Sorry,” Kai cleared his throat, using the time to clear his thoughts and put them in order. “I wanted to know, what do you intend to do today?”

White strands of hair fluttered as Albion tilted his head to the side, an eyebrow raised in a questioning manner.

“You said that our usual is fine, but what about _you_? The others don’t trust you, except for Yoru and that will make things hard. We’re a team, you know?”

There was no response, so Kai continued.

“Maybe you think it’s fine, but I don’t; this team is my family and I want to protect them. But I also know that I’m not strong enough to do that, right now. And you’re our leader, so you should do your part too!”

The last words were spoken rhetorically, trying to get his earnest feelings across to the impassive teen.

“...what about you?”

“Huh?”

The unexpected question had Kai confused, his expression saying as much.

“Do you trust me?”

That was the billion-dollar question; all pairs needed trust and this was true to them as well. To be honest, Kai didn’t really know. Sure, Albion had saved his friends before but he had little to no interaction with him, making it hard for the brunet to understand his captain. He couldn’t say a word.

But his silence was an answer in itself.

Green eyes closed, Albion’s expression as stony as it ever was.

“Nevertheless, you could try to talk to us at least a little; you’re absent all the time!” Kai had recovered from his slight shock and he now stared down his leader, hands on his hips.

“And don’t say you’ve been watching us, we never saw you so it doesn’t count!” He added as an afterthought, ocean blue orbs meeting green.

Albion did not answer. Instead, he slid off the window and walked towards Kai, stopping when he was right beside him.

“You need not worry, I will protect them. Regarding my abilities, all you need to know is that I will play a support role.”

He moved away, intent on exiting the room.

“....as for the other thing, only time will tell.”

 

 

 

* * *

 

  
  
 

Tension lined his shoulders as Mikoto looked over the gathered cadets.

 _‘Soldiers,’_ his mind supplied, the word echoing harshly amidst his thoughts. _‘No matter how we sugarcoat it, they’re soldiers; and I can’t do anything about it.’_

“General, it’s time.”

Kanade’s voice snapped him out of his musings and Mikoto nodded. He waved a hand, images appearing behind him; they showed the few details that their cameras had managed to capture.

“As you can see, we have not found any Vines in the location but their presence was confirmed a few hours ago. Take a closer look.”

Two of the images zoomed in, showing that the land was upturned in places and there were craters scattered across the region. They looked newly made.

“Your mission is to confirm the presence of the Vines and destroy them if possible. If the numbers are overwhelming, you are to retreat immediately. Leave traps if you can but do not confront them; I want everyone to return safely.”

Straightening at the command in the last words, the cadets saluted.

“Yes, sir!”

Mikoto nodded sharply. “Begin your preparations. Captains, stay behind. I want a word.”

Murmurs of confusion erupted at this but no one protested. Soon the debriefing room was empty save for the general and the captains. Taking a seat behind his table, Mikoto crossed his hands in front of his face. His eyes flickered over the four in front of him, resting for a moment longer on Procellarum’s captain.

A tiny, almost imperceptible nod was his answer and he moved on, finally addressing them.

“I don’t think I have to stress the importance of safety here. All the younger ones are new to the field and there are high possibilities of them freezing up at their first encounters.”

A memory replayed in Mikoto’s mind, of the time he was deployed many years ago. Rather than the easy mission his team was supposed to finish, unexpected complications had erupted and jeopardized the entire operation. He had lost two friends that day.

It was the reason that he was so afraid of sending the teams out today; he had the same feeling, the same as the one on that fateful day and feared the implications.

The general shook his head, banishing the depressing thoughts. Now was not the time for reminiscing, especially not dark memories.

“I did not mention this in front of the others so as to not cause discontent, but Shiki and Shu will be the ones leading this operation. Each captain will coordinate their own units but the main commands will be from you two.”

The captains of SolidS and QUELL nodded, Shiki saying, “Of course, I’m sure we can manage it among ourselves.”

“I hope so….I don’t want a repeat of that day,” Mikoto murmured lowly, much to the confusion of the others. “Nevermind me, off you go now. I don’t want to hold you back any longer.”

Saluting at the clear dismissal, the quartet quickly left the room, presumably in search of their teammates. The general watched them go, a frown on his face.

“Something wrong, General?” Kurotsuki Dai asked, concern on his features at the lines of stress on his commander’s face.

“I don’t know. I just hope I am not making a mistake here.”

Mikoto stood up from his chair, moving over to the largest window in the room. Drawing back the sheer curtains, he looked down at the grounds. The captains were greeted by their teams, all of them decked out in their battle uniforms.

Shiki and Shu may be the official leaders he had designated for their first mission, but that was just for show.

In reality, he had wanted Albion to be the leader. But he had noticed the interactions between the cadets and knew it would be a wrong choice.

Trust was absolutely essential on the battlefield and he knew it better than anyone else.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Purple eyes took in the sight around him, spotting nothing but ruined land. There was no sign of the Vine Puppets, but Shiki did not let his guard down.

The entire place emitted an eerie feeling.

Expanding his magic senses to the limit, the captain of SolidS let his gaze fall on his teammates. All four units had split up when they had reached the site, preferring to cover more ground quickly. SolidS had headed towards the west, moving in pairs as they looked over every nook and cranny.

Rikka and Dai were a few feet away from him, conversing quietly as they scoured for clues. Shiki didn’t really think they’d find anything; there was nothing in the vicinity except dead vegetation and brown soil.

“Shiki, do you sense anything?”

Looking over his shoulder, Shiki spotted Tsubasa peering towards the horizon. Golden eyes flickered over to meet purple, a hint of fear glimmering in their depths.

_‘Right, he’s never been out here before.’_

Unlike the others, Tsubasa had lived a sheltered life in the civilian section of Moon Garden. One could say that he belonged to an aristocratic family.

Rikka had been part of the Assist Squad before joining the Academy at Shiki’s request and had actually seen the monsters before, even if he hadn’t fought against them. The youngest of their team had also encountered them as a child, Dai having originally been part of another shelter before it was destroyed.

It was not surprising that Tsubasa was scared but Shiki knew he would offend the other if he suggested that the blond should leave the unit.

“Oi, Shiki; did you hear me?”

“Yes, I did. And no, I don’t sense anything. You know my sensory range is small; they could be hiding farther away from us.”

Tsubasa hummed at the reply.

“I don’t sense any magic in the air, but I get the feeling that we’re being watched…?”

“Are you certain, Tsubasa?”

Dai’s voice held an urgent tone, interrupting their conversation and the pair turned to see him and Rikka striding over to them. Noting the slight panic on their faces, Shiki asked, “Did you find anything?”

The pink haired man nodded, pointing in the direction they had come. “We found some marks in the ground, Shiki. It was really faint so we’re not sure, but….I think we’re surrounded.”

Cursing violently in his mind, the captain considered his options. They could try to fight the Vines, but due to the uneven terrain it could be hard. Since they were surrounded, regrouping with the others could result in everyone being caught in a pincer attack.

“Stay together, we have no choice but to fight. Let’s try to reduce their numbers before regrouping with the others. Got it?”

Murmurs of agreement met his statement and the four stood in a wide circle, facing outwards. Out of the corner of his eye, Shiki noticed Tsubasa’s hand trembling slightly on the hilt of his sword, as he stood ready to draw it at a moment’s notice.

“Calm down, Tsubasa. We’re here with you.”

Golden yellow orbs widened at the whispered words and the blond turned his head to look at Shiki. The other had a reassuring smile on his face, purple eyes calm and determined.

Tension draining from his posture, Tsubasa grinned as he replied, “You’ll have my back, won’t you, darling~?”

“Of course, honey,” Shiki shot back, shifting his gaze forward.

Out of the blue, a sudden mental transmission echoed in their minds, startling the quartet for a split second before they hastened to follow the command, compelled by the authority in the words.

**_“Everyone, get down now!!”_ **

The warning came not a moment too soon, for at the instant they hit the ground, a sudden explosion ripped through the air just above their heads.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

“Tch, we’re surrounded.”

Hajime glared at the Vines that were approaching them in all directions. The explosion had taken them all by surprise but they had come out unscathed thanks to the warning.

 _‘How did Albion know? None of us sensed anything,’_ he mused, feeling his friends press closer to him. They were slowly being boxed in and would be at a disadvantage soon if nothing was done.

Kakeru whimpered lowly, his hands shaking around his guns, “So scary…”

Purple eyes flickered over to the short blond, before focusing back on the Vines. Hajime could understand the fear; the monsters were nothing like they had seen before.

When they were in the Academy, all the instructors had described them as inhuman creatures, mindless and weak. This had led to them forming an image of monsters with strange characteristics, like horns and wings. But they couldn’t have been more wrong.

The Vines looked very similar to humans which was fair, considering that they _were_ once humans. Their movements were slightly slower than normal, their bare feet dragging through the sand. Rusty weapons of all kinds were clutched in seemingly decayed fists and their ashen skin was covered in glowing patterns, the color a sickly purple tinged with midnight black.

It was the eyes that were the most fear inducing though; one might have expected the zombies to have empty sockets but it was just a myth. The eyes were blank and dull, a crystalline sheen that made them gleam ominously. Inky streams trailed down sunken cheeks, resembling blood.

“Hajime, any ideas?” Haru murmured, as he shifted closer to his captain, green sparks of magic crackling around his hands.

“If we could push them back a little, we should be able to take them on without restricting our own movements. This could get dangerous fast.”

Perking up at the words, Aoi said, “Hajime-san, would you let me try something?”

Sky blue orbs met purple determinedly, taking the older teen by surprise at the steel in them.

A beat and Hajime nodded sharply. “Do it.”

Brightening at the agreement, the platinum-blond teen swirled back to face their enemies. Frowning at the slight tremors in his hand, Aoi clenched it into a tight fist.

_‘I can’t back down now; I need to fight my fear!’_

Aoi slowly exhaled, letting his tense body relax. He had only a few precious moments to pull this off, he couldn’t make a mistake now. Closing his eyes, he recalled what Procellarum’s captain had told him a few days ago.

_“No matter what, never force your magic for this spell; you might find that the results are less than pleasant.”_

Shutting out his physical senses, Aoi extended his Magic Sight to the area around them. Spectral images formed in his mind, the Vines showing up as black splotches. In an instant he locked down on specific points, marking a circle through them to indicate the interior as a safe zone.

**“Aqua: Bubble Blast.”**

Translucent blue bubbles formed, floating in the air around the six members of Six Gravity. They drifted lightly in the breeze, some bubbles larger than the other.

“Hey, Aoi; what do these things do?”

Snagging Arata’s wrist before he could poke the bubble closest to him, Aoi opened his eyes to stare at his friend. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Arata,” he said wryly. “It might explode in your face, even if we’re in the safe zone.”

He turned to face the others. “If everyone is ready?” When the others nodded in reply, Aoi braced himself as he built up his magic. Swinging an arm out, he yelled, “Go!”

For a split second, the bubbles froze, hanging suspended in the air then shot forward towards the Vines, exploding upon contact.

The impact was enough to destroy the ones the bubbles hit, disintegrating the corpses, showing that the liquid was of acidic nature. Some of the other Vines were thrown back, thereby expanding the free area around them.

“Good work, Aoi. We have to take advantage of this; everyone, move in pairs and cover your partner!”

Hajime called out even as he moved, his sword glowing with his magic as he dashed forward, Haru at his heels.

“ _Hai!_ ”

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

“What the hell was that?!”

Yōu yelled as he pushed himself up, having dropped to the ground at Albion’s warning.

“A magical explosion…?” Yoru offered hesitantly, taking the hand the redhead offered to him. The blast had come out of nowhere; one second they were all looking over the land and the next their captain had sent out that message.

From what they could see, Procellarum was at the epicenter of the explosion while the other units were at the edges. It didn’t mean it wasn’t deadly though; they had just gotten the worst of it.

“A large condensation of magic at a single point, rigged to explode once certain conditions were met.”

All heads swiveled in the direction of the speaker; Albion was watching something in the distance with narrowed eyes, emerald orbs glowing with magic. Also, did the air become colder?

“Here they come.”

Bolts of magic shot towards them, startling them at how sudden they were. The members of Procellarum froze in shock, one thought running through their minds.

_‘Is this the end?’_

All, except one.

**“Ice: Protection.”**

A clear barrier formed around them, the attacks crashing against it. The stream of magic was kept going for a few seconds before stopping abruptly, letting them view the shield in its entirety. Snowflakes decorated the barrier, spinning lazily.

“How long are you going to stand there? Do you wish to be killed?”

Albion’s sharp words cut through the dumbfounded silence, bringing the others back to their senses. Iku slapped his cheeks lightly, his face taking on a determined expression. He drew his claymore and his shield materialized on his left arm.

“Thanks for the save, Albion-san! Let’s go, Rui!”

“Ikkun….okay.”

The young brunet ran off towards the approaching zombies, Rui flying after him. His rapier was in his hand, wind whistling as he channeled his magic into the blade.

“Oi, you two! Don’t go too far!”

“Leave them be, Kai.”

“But-”

Kai sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. Albion was right, he couldn’t be babysitting them anymore. _‘Besides,’_ he thought with a proud smile, _‘they seem to be holding their own.’_

Yōu and Yoru had also thrown themselves into battle, flames raging as the redhead burnt a path through the hordes of Vine Puppets. Yoru held himself confidently, twirling his staff in his hands as he cast spell after spell with effortless efficiency.

It was something Kai had never seen before and he wondered what exactly Albion had taught him. Well, no use thinking about it now. He could always corner the Light Mage later for answers.

“Alright, I should get started too!”

Albion watched as his vice-captain cut through the Vines, breaking their ranks and throwing them into disarray, blade flashing in the minimal light. The positioning of his teammates was optimal, the three groups - Iku and Rui, Yōu and Yoru, Kai -  forming a triangle with the white haired teen in the center. It would allow him to get to any of them if things got too dangerous.

But for now….

_‘Apart from that mistake at the start, they are doing well. They should be fine.’_

In the end, the Ice Mage had no need to interfere too much apart from providing back-up for Kai and the occasional shield. The battle wound down quickly, the members subconsciously migrating back to Albion once they had destroyed their opponents.

Cold green eyes swept over the land; it was just a barren place before, now it was littered with torn limbs and burnt corpses. Disregarding this as inconsequential, he looked over his team. Surprisingly, none of them seemed too bothered by the fact that they had just killed monsters that were once human.

Albion would still watch them though, some people had the realization late and it could be bad for their mental state.

Still, they weren’t doing too badly now so he could afford to take his attention off them for a while. Deciding to check up on the other teams - the General _had_ ordered him to protect _everyone_ \- he activated his Magic Sight, letting it spread over the entire field.

Unlike Aoi, he could see clear images rather than just colored splotches and so could see everyone’s condition.

Six Gravity had just finished up their battle as well, the members tending to the few injuries they had received.

QUELL was still fighting but the number of Vines was dwindling rapidly and no one was wounded, so Albion saw no need for concern.

Finally directing his attention towards SolidS, he paused. The members were doing well, but the rough terrain they had ended up in was hindering their efforts. He had a bad feeling.

“E-Eh?! Albion-san?!”

Ignoring Yoru’s confused call, the white haired teen took off in the direction of SolidS, knowing that the rest of Procellarum would follow.

Something was going to happen and he would not allow it to endanger those under his charge.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

A Vine Puppet fell, letting out a deafening screech as it was burnt by a lightning spell. Rikka sighed as he readied himself to cast more magic, he couldn’t tell how many of the creatures were left thanks to the crevices in the ground.

For every one he destroyed, another would pop up in its place.

Next to him, Dai swung his sword, the large blade cutting through multiple Vines at once. The fragments of the corpses flew through the air, slowly crumbling to dust and blown away by the wind. He wasn’t tired but it was a pain to keep going through the same motions while trying to keep his balance.

Thankfully for them, it seemed that none of the creatures that faced were able to use magic. Point in their favor.

“Looks like Shiki and Tsubasa seem to be doing fine,” Rikka chuckled as fire erupted for a moment somewhere behind them, quickly dying down.

Dai nodded, “I’m more worried about Tsubasa though. He’s never left Moon Garden before and this might be overwhelming for him.”

“It’s possible...we should finish up fast and join them.”

The tall blue-haired teen agreed; Tsubasa may be annoying at times but he was still his best friend. There was no way Dai would let him die. It didn’t cross his mind that fate was not in his hands.

A few meters away from Rikka and Dai, hidden behind a large boulder, twin blades sliced through his enemies. Shiki may not be the strongest, but he was fast and could use his magic to augment the strength of his strikes.

Blocking a lance with the sword in his left hand, he used the one in his right to sever the zombie’s torso from its lower half. Tsubasa took advantage of its immobility and burnt it to ashes.

“Focus on your own battles, Tsubasa; I can take care of myself.”

“Maybe so, but I want to do as much as I can too!”

The blond yelled in reply as he ducked, an arrow flying over him. Letting his momentum carry him forth, he enveloped his fist in flames and punched the archer in the gut, throwing it off balance before severing the head with his sword.

Once that was done, Tsubasa straightened, casting a wary glance around him. He didn’t see anymore monsters but something told him that it wasn’t over yet.

The tell-tale swish of blades caught his attention and he turned to see Shiki sheathing his swords.

“I think that’s the last-”

Purple and golden eyes widened in unison as the ground erupted in front of the captain of SolidS, a Vine shooting out from the newly formed crater, its mouth open in an attempt to bite him. The vibrations from the miniature explosion had unbalanced Shiki, as he struggled to get out of range.

_‘Damn it! I won’t make it in time!’_

“Idiot Shiki, get out of the way!”

A body barreled into him at full force, pushing him away and to safety. The weight on him lasted for a second before Tsubasa got back to his feet, magic gathering in his hand.

**“Flame: Hellfire!”**

The last zombie was enveloped in crimson flames, its screeches grating on the ear and sending shivers down their spines. It only lasted for about five seconds, the cries silencing as the Vine disappeared into the flames.

Regaining his bearings, Shiki mentally smacked himself. _‘That was careless of me; I should have known better than to put away my weapons,’_ he admitted to himself. Turning to his partner, he let his gratitude be expressed on his features.

“Tsubasa, thanks for the- Tsubasa?”

The blond was stock-still, golden eyes wild and pupils dilated. He didn’t register it when Shiki moved to stand in front of him, worry in his voice as he called out again.

“Oi, Tsubasa; you okay?”

As if returning to their plane of existence, Tsubasa blinked slowly. His eyes now reflected fear and when he spoke, his voice was tinged with pain, a lot of pain.

“Shiki...I don’t think... we’ll be going back….together….”

“Oi, oi; what the hell are you saying? You- Tsubasa!”

Panicking as the other swayed, Shiki shot forward, arms stretched out to catch Tsubasa who collapsed all of a sudden. Unsure of what caused it, he scanned the blond’s body; purple eyes widened in shock as the captain finally spotted it.

**“NOOOOOO!”**

 

 

 

 

 


	7. Survivors

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By popular demand, the next chapter is here!  
> I know I said it would be late, but I also wanted to get this done so here it is.
> 
> Hope it meets everyone's expectations!  
> Enjoy~

 

 

 

**“NOOOOOO!”**

_‘Shiki?’_

Shu’s head snapped around, turning in the direction of the scream. He had never heard his friend sound so desperate; fear and pain were clearly audible in his voice.

The captain of QUELL didn’t hesitate; casting a quick glance over his team, he took off the moment the others nodded. Footfalls sounded behind him, telling him that Eichi and the twins were following, all of them understanding that something really bad had happened.

“Shiki-san and the others are five hundred meters ahead, Shu.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Shu saw Issei speed up to run at his side. His dark blue eyes were focused on the hill ahead of them, his dagger glimmering faintly from the magic he channeled through it. A crease on his brow was the only indicator to show that Issei didn’t like what he had seen.

Ichiru vaulted over a rock, slashing at a Vine that tried to approach his brother, the creature letting out a cry as it hardened thanks to the dagger’s special ability: **Crystallize**. He scanned the area around them, before falling back into formation once he detected no more threats.

“What do you see, Issei?”

“I’m not sure, but I think it’s Tsubasa-san.”

“Eh?! Tsubasa? Are you certain, Isse?”

Eichi panicked a little, bright green eyes wide with shock. It was surprising to hear that the most powerful Fire Mage in their generation was in danger. Issei nodded in confirmation.

“Yes, I can see Dai-san and Rikka-san standing over Shiki-san, who is holding Tsubasa-san. They’re on the other side of that crag.”

The elder Kuga twin pointed in the direction of the large hill in front of them and all four sped up subconsciously, wanting to get to their counterparts quickly. Once they were at the peak, they stopped for a second and looked down. The sight that met their eyes was exactly as Issei had described.

Dai was saying something, an expression close to fear on his face while Rikka was crouched next to Shiki, staring worriedly at his friends. But what alarmed Shu most was the look on his friend’s face: he looked close to tears.

“Shu-san!”

Hajime’s voice called out behind him and all the members of QUELL turned around to see Six Gravity approaching. In a few seconds the newcomers had joined them, Aoi letting out a shocked gasp as his sky-blue eyes saw the scene below them.

“No…”

“Aoi? What’s wrong?”

Arata placed a hand on his best friend’s shoulder, the pale blond’s hand shaking as he raised it to cover his mouth. Shock and sorrow were written clearly on his face and it did not reassure Shu.

“Did you sense something?”

“We have to…get down there…”

That was all he said, refusing to utter another word as tears splashed down his cheeks. Clenching his fist, Shu whipped around; leaping off the peak of the crag, he slid down the slope, not waiting to see if the others followed.

His friend needed him.

As soon as his feet hit the ground, Shu let his momentum carry him forward and skidded to a stop near the members of SolidS.

“Shiki, what-?”

He cut himself off, mouth clicking shut as light blue eyes widened; dark purple vines were visible on the fallen blond’s skin, peeking out from the collar of his coat, glowing with an eerie light. Tsubasa’s hands were already enveloped with purple.

It had only been about five minutes since Shiki had screamed, meaning that a minimum of five minutes had passed since Tsubasa had been bitten.

Considering all things, it was a miracle that Tsubasa was still alive.

Hajime stepped up next to Shu, inhaling sharply as he spotted the symptoms of the virus. Walking around his fellow captain, he knelt in front of Shiki; frowning slightly when he couldn’t see the other’s expression, he ignored it for the moment as he regarded Tsubasa.

From what he could see, the virus had entered via a bite on the right side of the blond’s torso. Gathering magic in his palm, Hajime placed it over the wound; he startled when he realized that Tsubasa’s own magic was fighting against the poison, which was why he had not died immediately.

But it would be useless in the end, there existed no cure to help them.

“Shi…ki…”

The aforementioned man jerked, purple eyes shooting down to meet pained golden. Tsubasa had regained consciousness.

“Tsubasa!”

“Tsubasa-san.”

“You idiot!”

Cries erupted from the gathered group, eliciting a small laugh from the dying blonde. He knew he didn’t have much time left, but if he was going to die it would _not_ be like this.

Tsubasa raised a trembling hand, which was caught by Shiki in a desperate hold.

“You idiot, why did you save me?!”

“I cou…couldn’t let….you die…”

“So you saved me at the cost of your own?! This isn’t worth it at all…”

Shiki pulled the other towards him, holding him tight as he buried his face in soft golden locks. Tsubasa smiled weakly as he felt a wetness form; his captain was crying for him again. He bit back a pained gasp; he could feel the virus within his body, could feel his magic fighting against it and failing.

With a burst of strength, Tsubasa used his free hand to pull one of Shiki’s swords from its sheath. Flinching at the movement, the purple haired captain raised his head; his eyes widened in realization as he looked from the blade to the other’s determined expression.

_**“No.”** _

“Shiki…please…”

**_“You don’t know what you’re asking of me!”_ **

Gasps of surprise were heard at the hysterical shout, Dai jerking as if hit. The blue haired man fell to his knees near his friend, grasping at the other’s shoulders.

“Idiot, you can’t give up like this.”

“Are… you…crying for me, Dai-chan?...How sweet…”

_‘Even now, you’re joking around, trying to cheer us up…for once, think of yourself…’_

Dai couldn’t reply to that and stayed still as stone, feeling Rikka’s arm wrap around him in a comforting gesture.

“You can’t die now, Tsubasa; we still have to go out to that café you promised to show me.”

“Even you…Rikka…?”

Tsubasa wanted to laugh; his friends were being silly but he understood. They didn’t want him to die and neither did he. If there was another way, he would take it with both hands.

But there wasn’t.

And time was running out.

Pressing the sword to Shiki’s hand, Tsubasa glared as much as he could when the other flinched away as if burnt.

“I don’t want…to become like…those monsters, Shiki…please…”

The captain stared at his friend, unable to speak a word. He was going into shock, he noted idly, feeling numb now that the situation had truly sunk in. But Tsubasa was right; no matter what, there was no way he could let the other become a Vine.

Even if he had to kill him.

Slowly nodding, Shiki took the sword and angled the blade towards the other’s heart. Everyone was quiet around them, not daring to make a sound. This was between the two of them.

“Thank you…Shiki…”

_‘Don’t smile at me so brilliantly when I’m about to kill you, stupid…’_

Screwing his eyes shut, Shiki resigned himself to his duty and brought the blade down.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

_*CLANG*_

Shiki’s sword bounced off a sheet of ice that suddenly formed between him and Tsubasa, startling him and throwing him off-balance. The others were no better, taking a few steps back in surprise.

“What do you think you are doing?”

An icy voice called out, making them twist around to see a white figure drop down from out of nowhere. Albion rose up from the crouch he’d landed in, emerald eyes staring at Shiki dispassionately.

“Oi! What did you take off like that for?!”

Yōu’s yell was heard before the remaining members of Procellarum appeared at the peak of the crag, jumping off to join the group at the bottom. Gasps of shock were heard once they saw Tsubasa, who had lost consciousness again; the purple patterns had grown, now decorating his face with thin swirls.

“H-How…?”

Letting his sword fall from his hand at Iku’s whispered question, Shiki hung his head. “It was my fault,” he admitted quietly, his face showing his guilt. “I was careless for an instant and he...Tsubasa paid the price.”

It didn’t need to be said that Tsubasa had saved his life while endangering his own.

“He-”

Dai cleared his throat, trying to hide the quaver that betrayed his troubled feelings.

“He wanted to be killed before the virus did it, so that we wouldn’t have to deal with him as a Vine.”

The pink haired member of SolidS nodded, a crystal tear sliding down his cheek. Out of all the people he knew, Rikka treasured Shiki, Tsubasa and Dai the most. To lose one of them….it was more than devastating.

“Tsubasa didn’t say it but we’re sure that he wants to spare us the pain of seeing him as an enemy.”

“So you agreed to kill him?”

The clipped tones angered him and Hajime turned to face his counterpart, a dark glare on his features. His anger was enough to scare his teammates, Six Gravity taking a step away from the enraged teen.

“You would dare disrespect his last wish? You would let him die and become a monster; make his friends strike him down as an enemy?”

The words held an edge to them, sending a shiver down everyone’s spines. But Albion’s statement was cruel and it didn’t sit well with any of them.

“Do _not_ jump to conclusions.”

The pale teen swung his hand in a horizontal half circle and a sudden gust of wind pushed everyone away. It had come out of the blue and no one was prepared to defend against it. They were thrown a good distance away, colliding against an invisible wall.

_‘A barrier?’_

Indeed, it was a barrier, the same one that had protected Procellarum barely an hour ago. Kai stared at the swirling snowflakes on the barrier, dazed, before shaking his head to clear it. His captain was a conundrum and he had no idea what Albion was planning now.

“What are you doing to him?!”

A shout alerted him and Kai looked forward to see that a second barrier was a few meters in front of him, the three members of SolidS banging their fists on the translucent shield.

“Two barriers? One to protect us from the outside and this one to…keep us away?”

Ocean blue eyes widened when he saw that Tsubasa was still on the ground in front of Albion, who was gathering so much magic that it showed up as a white glow around him. At that moment, Kai couldn’t look away; the sheer amount of magic was overwhelming and his captain didn’t seem winded at all.

“What the heck is he going to do with all that magic?!”

Koi shouted, pink eyes confused and worried; he looked to Haru who looked just as lost as he was and then to Hajime.

“I don’t know, but I think we should stop him.”

Nods and murmurs of agreement met this statement, all the boys ready to throw every last bit of their power at the barrier keeping them from the pair within.

“Wait.”

A soft voice interrupted them, all eyes shooting to Rui who staring at his captain with an awe-filled expression. His turquoise colored orbs were wide as he looked at the silver runes on the ground below Albion’s feet, spreading out to surround him and Tsubasa.

“Do you know what that is, Rui?”

“No, but…Ikkun, it feels so painful…”

A few tears fell as Rui clutched at his chest, just over his heart. He didn’t know why, but the magic within the barrier was so very sad that he knew there was no harm coming to the unconscious blond.

The others could only watch confused at the strange words but if Rui felt no malice, then perhaps there was a chance.

Inside the barrier, Albion looked at Tsubasa, his eyes glimmering with so many emotions that flickered too fast to be understood but if anyone of the others had seen them, they would be shocked at the intensity in emerald orbs.

It was only for a moment though, before it was wiped away, turned back to an empty state. Albion closed his eyes, letting his magic flow through his body to reach the infected teen.

**“Temporal: Reverse.”**

The white glow that clung to Albion like a veil vanished, his magic transferred to Tsubasa in the blink of an eye. Shiki watched astonished, feeling a sliver of hope bubble in his heart as he saw the silver tendrils intertwine with the purple patterns, engulfing them.

Seconds passed, feeling like an eternity before all the visible purple marks disappeared. One could only assume the ones hidden under his clothes were gone too, they couldn’t tell without checking.

The barrier keeping them apart shattered, the fragments resembling snowflakes as they dissipated into the air. The three members of SolidS rushed to their friend, Albion moving swiftly out of the way as his own team approached him. Kai frowned; he couldn’t see his captain’s expression, the other’s white bangs falling over his eyes and hiding them from view.

“He’s…he’s alright…”

Rikka covered his mouth with his left hand, his right shaking where it hovered over Tsubasa’s body. He had performed every diagnostic spell he knew to detect the virus; all the results came back negative.

Blue eyes stared at the slender man, stupefied. Everything he knew told him that there was no cure for the virus but the proof was right in front of him. Dai looked back to his best friend; Tsubasa no longer looked pained, instead he was sleeping peacefully in Shiki’s arms.

Relief flooded him as Shiki pressed the blond closer to him, his heart matching the steady pace of Tsubasa’s own. At that moment he didn’t care what had happened, a miracle had occurred and he still had his most precious person with him.

Shiki didn’t lose anyone and for that he was grateful.

The other units were not of the same mind; yes, they were overjoyed at the miraculous recovery of their friend but they wanted answers.

Just what in the world was that?

Hajime was the one who voiced out everyone’s thoughts, purple eyes trying to find the emerald ones of his counterpart. However Albion wouldn’t meet his gaze, stepping further away from the others’ curious glances.

Before Hajime could open his mouth to ask another question, a large magic circle expanded beneath them, startling everyone. He could only make out the runes for teleportation before they were all whisked away, their destination unknown to all except the caster.

There was no indication of the group ever having been there, save for the destroyed corpses of the Vines and the marks of their battles.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

In a location far away from the Moon Garden, much farther than where the four units were sent to, eight teens were spread across the expanse of dried land. They were looking for the source of the SOS signal that had been received the previous night.

The ALIVE units had been sent out more than five hours ago, but none of them had been able to locate anyone so far. Sora and Nozomu were flying above the others, searching for clues from the air. The remaining six had split up once they had confirmed the absence of the Vine Puppets.

Kouki cast a worried glance about him; the leader of Growth stood atop a hill, his cloak billowing around him and sharp sapphire eyes trying to detect any human presence aside from his friends. It was an understatement to say that he was concerned; from what their systems were able to tell, the SOS signal had probably been transmitted nearly an hour before their receivers had detected it.

There was a high possibility that there was no one left to save.

 _‘No,’_ he thought fiercely. _‘Even if there is only one person left, we must save them.’_

Just as he considered moving to another location, Kouki stilled, ears straining to catch any sound. He thought he heard someone.

“There is it again….could it be?”

Sliding off the hill in the direction of where he heard the sound, Kouki cautiously moved forward. He didn’t sense any tainted presences, so it probably wasn’t a Vine. Regardless, there was no need to be careless.

He readied his bow, one hand near his quiver so that he could pull out an arrow instantly. But he needn’t have worried.

“A song…?”

Kouki blinked in bewilderment; Vines couldn’t sing so it had to be a human. It was most certainly a song that he heard. And it sounded close.

Walking around the hill to peek at the other side, he froze as his eyes caught sight of the singer.

 

_“….yuunagi no tooku kanata_

_toki no kobune wo ukabete….”_

 

A young man with dark burgundy hair which curled slightly at his neck, was perched atop a boulder; he was staring up at the crimson sky as he sang softly. His clothes were worn and dusty, the signs of someone who had traveled for a long time.

Feeling eyes on him, the singer stopped and turned his head to the direction of the stare, curious brown meeting surprised sapphire.

For a moment, neither of them moved; there was absolute silence as the world vanished around them, the two of them connecting with each other in a mysterious way. Then as one, the pair blinked, and the moment was broken.

A small smile curved the lips of the stranger as he regarded the golden blonde.

“Hello.”

Kouki returned the smile; the other wasn’t dangerous and so he relaxed slightly, but didn’t let his guard down. He walked towards the boulder, hands coming up to catch the other as the stranger jumped off the boulder.

Laughing softly as he was set on the ground gently, he said, “You didn’t need to do that, but thank you.”

Not knowing how to answer to that, Kouki stared uncertainly at him. Noticing that he looked slightly lost, the dark haired male offered, "I’m Fujimura Mamoru. You are…?”

“Etou Kouki; nice to meet you, Fujimura-san.”

Mamoru made a face, “Just Mamoru, please; I’m not even twenty yet!”

Kouki let out a startled laugh, smiling at the other.

“Alright.”

A sudden realization came to him and he said, “Do you mind stepping back a bit? I need to send up a signal.”

“Your friends? Okay,” Mamoru nodded, moving a little away from the blonde. Kouki aimed at the sky and let loose a glowing arrow, which exploded into colorful sparks high up in the air, much like fireworks.

In a few moments, soft footsteps were heard before two heads poked over the peak of the hill behind the pair.

“Kou! Are you alright?”

“And who’s that?”

Kensuke and Ryota slid down to join them, eyeing Mamoru suspiciously as the other raised his arms up in the universal gesture of surrender.

“I’m not going to hurt anyone,” Mamoru said mildly, still smiling. By this time, SOARA had also reached them and were watching the new person curiously.

After a quick round of introductions, Soushi asked, “Were you the one who sent that SOS signal? Are there any others?” It was weird that Mamoru was the only one around for miles.

Mamoru’s ever-present smile dimmed, brown eyes losing the sparkle they had held. It was in that instant Kouki realized that the other’s cheer was all faked and he moved forward on instinct, taking Mamoru’s hand.

“Are you okay?”

“That depends on what you’re asking” was the cryptic reply, before Mamoru pulled away gently and gestured for them to follow him.

Exchanging confused glances, the group of eight fell into step behind the other as he led them past the hills to the highest cliff in the region. Once they had reached the top, Mamoru pointed towards the plains in front, his expression hidden by his bangs.

“That’s your answer.”

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

The members of SOARA and Growth were horrified at the sight that met their eyes.

Graves lined every inch of the plains as far as the eye could see, all of them of different shapes and sizes; they looked to have been dug by hand.

“Did you…did you do this?”

Mamoru nodded at Sora’s hushed question, sitting down and letting his feet hang off the edge of the cliff. “We were ambushed by the monsters a few minutes after we sent that SOS signal. The transmitter was old and broken, but we managed. Not that it did us any good anyway.”

The standing teens looked crestfallen; their duty was to rescue survivors and they were already failing. Ren shuffled his feet, offering a quiet apology.

“It’s okay,” Mamoru replied, burying his face in his knees. “It’s not your fault. You came; you didn’t ignore the signal. I’m glad for that.”

The muffled words were no consolation but they were heart-wrenching. How could this person who had lost everything, be kind enough to not only forgive them but try to comfort them?

Kouki sat down next to Mamoru, staring at the huddled teen sadly. He didn’t know what to do so he simply asked, “Tell me about them?”

A brown eye peeked out at him curiously; finding nothing but warmth, Mamoru raised his head, gazing down at the graves. He guessed he could do that.

“There were around sixty of us, we’ve been together for as long as I remember. Most of the group consisted of children, and only a few adults. Almost all of us were orphans.”

“You too?” Kensuke asked from Mamoru’s other side, green eyes considering the other.

He nodded, “I never knew my parents; they were killed a few days after I was born. But everyone was my family, so I didn’t feel lonely. And now they’re all gone…”

Mamoru buried his head back in his arms, the other teens staring at each other uneasily when his shoulders started shaking; he was crying silently.

It was understandable; it had only been a few hours since he had lost everyone he knew. More words, muffled by his arms reached their ears.

“I don’t even know how it happened…all I remember was the Vines attacking us one moment, screaming….the scent of blood….then I woke up and everyone was dead. There weren’t even any signs of the monsters….”

Ryota frowned; if everyone had been killed, how had they not turned into Vines themselves?

How was Mamoru still alive?

How had he survived?

Apart from the cuts and bruises on his hands, clearly from digging the graves, he didn’t have any visible injuries. But before he could continue this line of questioning, the ground beneath them started to rumble.

Getting down the cliff to more stable ground, Mori tensed as he felt multiple tainted magic signatures. Sora picked up on his expression, and shot up into the sky. Orange red eyes threatened to pop out at what he saw.

The Vines were approaching them in all direction, hordes of them. This was going to suck big time.

Dropping back to the ground, the leader of SOARA reported, “We’re surrounded! Unknown numbers but I can guarantee there are too many of them!”

Soushi cursed, hand going to the hilt of his sabre. “Ren, get a message to HQ now! Request immediate teleportation, we can’t afford to fight here for too long, especially with a civilian.”

“Y-Yes, Sou-nii!”

The silver haired teen got to work, pulling out the little communication orb. It would take a long time to send a message, considering the distance between them and the Moon Garden.  Ren just hoped he could shorten the time lag by channeling more magic.

“Nozomu, protect Ren while he’s sending the message! Mori, provide back up for Sou; I’ll attack from the air!”

Sora barked out orders, his face uncharacteristically serious. He might goof off at times, but there was no doubt that he was a tactical genius on the battlefield. The older trio got into position, standing in front of the others, weapons drawn and ready.

Growth wasn’t idle either; Kensuke had assumed a defensive position at the back of the group, Ryota a little behind him on the left. Kouki gently pushed Mamoru to the centre of the formation, saying, “Stay in the middle, okay? We’ll protect you.”

“But-!”

All protests were silenced at the grim look the others shot him and Mamoru quieted. He didn’t think he was worth protecting. But he couldn’t control the others’ actions.

A lightning bolt shot towards out of the blue, quickly intercepted by Kensuke’s shield spell.

The battle had begun.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

The air was charged with magic, spellfire from both sides lighting up the sky. Ren had successfully sent off the messages five minutes into the battle and had joined the fray, blade glowing as he cut down Vine after Vine.

All of them moved in perfect sync, minimizing their movements and use of magic; there was no telling when they would be teleported out and they had to hold out until then.

“This is going nowhere!”

Nozomu yelled as he fried one of the creatures that had leaped towards Mori’s unprotected back. There were too many of them to take on separately. Water whipped through the air, Ryota manipulating it by freezing it into spears that impaled a few monsters.

The ice fragments sparked a memory and Nozomu brightened. Focusing a large amount of magic in between his hands, the redhead let it form into a dense, fiery ball before launching it high into the sky.

“Scatter and burn!”

The crimson sphere split into thousands of small fireballs about the size of golf balls, raining down around the humans. Normally, they wouldn’t do much damage but Nozomu had condensed so much magic into the spell, that just a single tiny ball had the power to instantly incinerate the Vine it hit.

“That was impressive, Nozomu; where did you learn that?”

Mori heaved a sigh of relief; that attack had made the Vines retreat for a moment, allowing them to catch their breath. He cast an inquisitive glance at Nozomu, who was grinning widely and flashing peace-signs.

“Albion-san showed me something and I improvised from that! Aren’t I cool, Morihito-senpai? Yay!”

The others gaped, that was improvisation? Quickly shaking off their shock, they returned to the fight. They would have time to question Nozomu later, when they returned to safety. Dying here in this wasteland was not an option, after all.

“Incoming!”

Kensuke blocked a stone lance, slicing it to pieces. Deflecting an energy beam with his blade, he sent it back to the Vines, the power amplified a few times. His gaze flickered over to Ryota; the latter had been protecting them with large scale shields for a while, and at the same time casting offensive spells.

He could tell that Ryota was tiring; honestly speaking, none of them would be able to keep this up for much longer.

“Why are you fighting so hard?”

The whispered question made Kouki pause in drawing the arrow he had just nocked. Mamoru had withdrawn into himself, brown eyes blank and dull.

“Why do you want to protect me? There’s no point….”

“Yes, there is.”

Mamoru looked up at the fierce reply; Kouki was standing in front of him, his back facing Mamoru. He held himself strong, not willing to give in. There was no way _any_ of them were dying here.

“I can understand that you don’t want to go on anymore but you must _live_. Your friends, you’re the last one left. If you’re gone, who would remember them? It would be sad if their existence was forgotten just like that.”

Brown eyes widened at the words, Kouki’s conviction taking him by surprise.

“You’re their legacy, Mamoru; they live on in you. We might have failed the others, but I won’t let you die!”

At that very instant, explosions rocked the ground; everyone was thrown off their feet, leaving them disoriented and dazed. This was very dangerous for those closest to the Vines.

Ren and Kensuke were the ones who had engaged the monsters in close combat, and thereby the ones in most dangerous. The Vines launched themselves at the two, jaws wide, the boys attempting to scramble back while their friends tried to reach them. But they all knew it was too late.

A golden dome of magic rapidly expanded through the air, passing through the humans harmlessly. But when it came into contact with the Vines, they screeched loudly in pain, freezing in place.

The boys could only stare stunned as golden cracks formed on the creatures’ bodies, growing larger and larger before they exploded in a shower of golden sparks.

“Purifying Light Magic…”

Kouki murmured in awe, shocking everyone even more.

From the centre of the group, Mamoru slowly rose up from the ground; his entire body was surrounded by a golden aura, his hair and clothes fluttering in the air. Magic exuded from him in waves, enlarging the dome.

“I remember now….why I survived.”

The burgundy haired teen stared absently at his hand, regarding the golden glow.

“Everyone was dying…I wanted to save them but it was too late and I was the only one left…In my sorrow and rage, I let loose my magic subconsciously. I could have protected them if I had known I possessed magic back then…but I didn’t.”

Mamoru clenched his hand, eyes closing for a moment in pain. But then he looked up, brown eyes shining with resolve.

“That’s why, this time, I will protect everyone!”

The dome expanded even more rapidly, enveloping all the Vines in the region and completely annihilating them in a matter of seconds. Only when they were all gone did the dome vanish, the remnants of the golden magic fading and retreating back to Mamoru’s core.

Silence reigned for a few moments, before Kouki snapped back to his senses. Diving forward just as Mamoru fell forwards, he caught him and gently lowered him to the ground.

“Mamoru? Mamoru?!”

He called out in an alarmed tone, but there was no response. Channeling a bit of his own magic into the other’s body, Kouki let out a sigh of relief as he realized that the other had only collapsed due to exhaustion. He should be fine after some rest.

“Well, that was something.”

Soushi remarked as he came towards the pair along with the rest. All of them looked to be a little worse for wear but at least they were still alive.

“We were sent to rescue him but he ended up saving us.” Kensuke plopped down next to Kouki, staring at the unconscious teen in the blonde’s lap. “But that was some amazing magic, though.”

Ryota nodded, “If he hadn’t unlocked his power consciously right then, we would all be dead.”

Murmurs of agreement met this statement and they all sweat-dropped at the same time when the teleportation circle appeared under their feet right at that second and took them away.

Talk about ridiculous timing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I didn't kill our Canary and Mamoru is finally here~  
> I don't know why I keep giving him a sad past in all my fics...but Mamo-chan, how did you get so much power? :O
> 
> Honestly! I didn't plan for him to have Purifying Light Magic....he was supposed to have Nature Magic. *pouts*  
> But somehow it turned out this way. I think I like it, though.
> 
> By the way, the title came about since technically, Tsubasa and Mamoru are both survivors in a sense; Tsubasa from the bite and Mamoru from an ambush.
> 
> Please let me know what you all thought of this chapter~  
> Thanks for reading! *bows*


	8. Explanations & the Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, here's the continuation to the previous chapter....
> 
> *dies*
> 
> I don't think I've ever worked so hard...writing and university course work do not go together.  
> Anyway, I hope everyone likes this chapter!  
> Have fun reading~

 

 

 

 

“Prepare the teleportation circle immediately to retrieve the ALIVE units! And I want a status update on the other four!”

“Yes, sir! Projecting the information on the main screen, now.”

Mikoto frowned at the static on the largest screen in the control room; unlike SOARA and Growth who had been sent far away, Six Gravity, Procellarum and SQ were relatively closer and so they had been able to send a drone to monitor them visually.

What they didn’t expect was the sudden explosion that had occurred, cutting off all lines. The drone was still active, but it wasn’t able to pick up anything. From the numbers he could see on the screen, the general realized that there was too much ambient magic in the air; it was interfering with the spells on the device.

“Keep attempting to get a connection but try to avoid contacting anyone telepathically. They might be caught up in battle.”

A few tense minutes passed, the control staff attempting to get the drone working while also getting the teleportation circle ready. Teleportation required a large amount of magic, especially when teleporting multiple people over long distances. With the limited resources they had, it would take a minimum of fifteen minutes to activate one teleportation spell.

Suddenly the barrier sensors began blaring, warning them of an incoming teleportation.

“Sir, there’s an unknown spell focused on teleporting inside HQ!”

That should be impossible, considering the multitude of traps lining the shields surrounding the Moon Garden.

“Should I set off the defences, General?” Kurotsuki asked, expression tense and his hands hovering over the controls in front of him. However, he was surprised when Mikoto shook his head and merely asked him to scan the magic signature of the caster.

_‘Caster...? Teleportation spells are notorious for requiring huge amounts of magic; a single person can’t cast it without suffering serious exhaustion.’_

Regardless of his own concerns, the tall man turned back to his screen. Running diagnostic spells on the incoming magic, Kurotsuki raised an eyebrow; the caster wasn’t even attempting to muddle his signature. An ally, then.

“This signature is....Procellarum’s captain, Albion?!”

The shocked exclamation drew everyone’s attention and whispers immediately started up; it was rare that anyone could even activate a teleportation spell on their own, let alone make the actual teleportation happen.

“Quiet! Dai, let him pass through and turn off the alarms. Everyone else, back to your stations!”

General Tsukino sighed in exasperation when everyone reluctantly returned to their duties; they were supposed to be an elite squad capable of handling invasions, not indulging in gossip while on the clock.

“SOARA and Growth will be teleported in within thirty seconds!”

“Kanade, alert Seleas and Fluna to be on stand-by; we might have injured. Once you’re done, follow me to the teleport point. Dai and Fumihiko, both of you as well. The rest of you, keep monitoring the situation outside for another hour.”

Swiftly stepping out of the control room, Mikoto strode down the corridor. Concern was at the forefront in his mind, both missions had ended in emergency retrievals. He just hoped no one was hurt or lost to them.

His three assistants were silent behind him, understanding the gravity of the situation very well. This was the first mission all the new squads were sent on and it would decide their compatibility with field work.

In a matter of minutes, the quartet was at the teleport point. But unlike the silence or low chatter they had expected, raised voices with some yelling could be heard from inside. Mikoto had a foreboding feeling; he knew he was going to have a headache after dealing with whatever was going on inside.

The opening of the door went unnoticed by the occupants, giving the general enough time to observe his teams. Judging by their bewildered expressions, SOARA and Growth had no idea what was happening so the issue must have been among the other units. There was a new face amidst them and he assumed him to be the lone survivor.

_‘At least we were able to save one...’_

QUELL was surrounding their partner unit, but their concentration was focused on the ones shouting. Mikoto felt a nagging sensation of worry; the way Shiki was holding his blonde partner and the hovering of the other duo of SolidS gave the implication that something had happened.

Six Gravity and Procellarum were clustered around the white haired captain, demanding something from him, their frustration only increasing when the teen refused to speak a word. Albion’s head was tilted downwards slightly, his expression hidden by his hair.

Now Mikoto was _really_ worried.

“Enough!”

The single word was spoken with authority, the command in it ringing over the din and everyone flinched, turning to face him with startled expressions. None of them had sensed his presence and it showed.

“Now that everyone is quiet, mind giving me an explanation for all this noise?”

Hajime exchanged glances with Haru and Kai; Albion was still motionless so it was understood that he wouldn’t say a word. It was up to the other captains.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

“So that’s what happened...”

Rubbing his temples, Mikoto sighed. His prediction of a headache had come true and he still had to deal with the units. His hope for a peaceful mission had been dashed and the worst case scenario had already occurred.

_‘I would have liked for Albion to not use his ability this soon, but it can’t be helped.’_

The general looked over at the tight-lipped captain and knew he had to do something immediately. The spell Albion had used was not one to be cast lightly.

“Albion, may I ask you to look over the barriers on the Garden? Your sudden teleportation spell might have created a crack somewhere, since we were unprepared for it.”

It was a lie; Albion had easily by-passed the barrier, only allowing the sensors to detect the spell in order to notify HQ of their arrival. Judging by the surprised looks his statement got, Mikoto could safely assume no one had realized it was Procellarum’s captain who had teleported a group of twenty over a distance of approximately hundred miles.

Not an easy feat, rather a near impossible one.

The general’s reason for sending Albion out of the room was simple. He knew the teen needed space, something he wouldn’t get with the others’ incessant questions. Only his assistants and Albion himself caught his lie and he knew them well enough to know that they wouldn’t say anything.

“Understood.”

The pale teen brushed by Mikoto, cold fingers pressing lightly against the back of the general’s hand, the action hidden by the former’s cape. It was silent permission, to allow Mikoto to provide everyone with an explanation.

Once the door slid closed, the general turned his attention back to his teams, head tilted to indicate that the others could ask their questions. Hajime stepped forward first, intent on saying something but he was beaten to it.

“What exactly did he do to me?”

Tsubasa had woken up, golden orbs staring at Mikoto with a hard glare. Being the receptor of the spell, he knew very well that it was something not normal. The rest of SolidS pressed closer to their now conscious friend, also waiting for an answer.

“Will there be any side-effects?”

Shaking his head in the negative at Shiki’s question, the general answered.

“Of course not; Albion would never use a spell that could possibly do any kind of harm to a human.”

“Then it was a healing spell? But as far as I know, there aren’t any that can heal the virus.”

Mikoto sighed tiredly, rubbing his eyes with a hand. “It _wasn’t_ a healing spell. You’re right, those don’t even exist.”

Purple eyes narrowed and Hajime demanded, “Then what did he do, if that wasn’t healing?”

“Temporal: Reverse; that was what I heard Albion-san say,” Issei interrupted, dark blue eyes wide. “He reversed the effects of the virus?”

“Close, but not quite. If that were so, then Tsubasa would still have the bite on his body.”

All eyes swivelled to the blonde at this, realizing that it was true; his clothes were torn at the place where he was bitten but there was no wound at all. Tsubasa was surprised, he hadn’t realized that the bite was gone.

“Basically, what Albion did was reverse the time of his body; to a time when Tsubasa was not bitten.”

“But I remember everything that happened after I was infected!”

Mikoto raised an eyebrow, “There is no reason you shouldn’t. Only the time of your physical self was reversed, not your mind.”

But this raised more questions.

“If Albion had a way to help people from the Vines, why didn’t he use it before?! Why wasn’t it at least made available for someone else to use?!”

Yōu was angry; his captain had a spell that could have saved so many people but he had kept it all to himself! Such a selfish person, if he could get his hands on him, Yōu would definitely show him what he thought.

The redhead wasn’t the only one who thought that way; the others in the room had similar feelings and resentment was a common emotion that bubbled within them. It was present in everyone’s expressions and the atmosphere felt heavy due to the negative emotions.

But Mikoto wouldn’t let them assume such untruths about the white haired teen. Albion may be cold and uncaring, but he knew that the young man wasn’t always like that.

 _‘They don’t know anything about him,’_ the general thought with slight anger. _‘Yet they judge him so.’_ Albion had suffered enough in the past; he didn’t need more antagonism in the present as well. Mikoto already feared for his mental health and even if Albion behaved like he didn’t care, he knew that it would affect him negatively.

“Before you start making Albion out to be some cruel bastard, halt your thoughts and listen to me.” The general’s voice was hard in a way it never was, shocking everyone to silence. Even his assistants were wide-eyed.

“Tell me something; how would you feel if you were told that there was a possibility to help someone but it could never be done no matter how hard you tried?”

“It would be painful....I would feel useless,” Hajime admitted, expression downcast. He knew that feeling well.

“Albion never said anything because of that very reason. Temporal: Reverse is a spell that requires large amounts of magic; do you think it is an easy feat to turn back time? All of you, ask yourselves that. Can you teleport just yourself outside this room?”

Everyone was silent; more than just the magic required, the control needed was greater. Precision was an important factor and a careless mistake could be fatal.

“The difficulty of Reverse is much greater than that. It requires reversing the time of each cell in the target’s body,” Mikoto paused for a moment, “ _individually._ ”

Jaws dropped, everyone staring wide-eyed at the revelation.

“But that’s impossible! To work on each cell separately....that’s insane!” Mori exclaimed, knowing how hard cell manipulation was. Even healers had a hard time doing it and this was not even on the same scale.

Reversing time? And that too for trillions of cells? No one would ever attempt to do such a thing.

But Mikoto was not done yet.

“True, Albion could theoretically teach the captains to perform the spell. Practically? I can already tell you that none of you can do it. A single casting would be enough to drain of you all your magic and that’s considering _if_ you cast it right. But that’s not the most dangerous thing; one misstep, just one and you could kill the person you’re trying to help.”

All the boys shifted uneasily, none of them wanted to be responsible for another’s death. “How does he even know this spell?” Shu asked, wondering who could have crafted such an ingenious yet complicated and dangerous spell.

“It..” Mikoto hesitated, “it was left behind to Albion by the original creator, who wasn’t able to complete it. Albion spent months trying to perfect it, only to find out it was useless to anyone but him. Tsubasa is the second human he has ever used it on.”

Kurotsuki spoke up from behind the general. “This is why you recruited him, despite him not wanting to join. He could help anyone who was bitten!”

“That’s not the entire truth. It’s because of his power; he fought in a battle, cast a spell that should be, by all rights, forbidden, then teleported everyone over a great distance without any accidents. And he’s still standing, without a hint of fatigue. Even I cannot do that.”

The respect in the general’s voice took everyone aback; they had assumed that Albion was someone at the same level as them but it wasn’t even close to the truth. It was clear that the general held Albion in high regard.

“Are...are we even needed?”

Sora’s question was sudden but it resonated within everyone. A person with such power, someone they could never hope to match; were they even necessary when Albion could easily wipe them out in a blink of an eye?

“Is that all it takes?”

A voice interrupted them and the occupants of the room turned to see the very person of their thoughts leaning against the doorframe. Albion had shed his cape and coat, looking quite plain and, surprisingly, fragile in simple white clothes and boots.

“You hear about what I can truly do and it’s enough to make you give up? I’m certain that you all know I am here unwillingly; what makes you think I’ll stay? I only intend to stay until I know that none of you will die a useless death on the battlefield. If you are already done, then leave. We do not have time to waste on you.”

The words were delivered in a monotone but icy manner. Albion’s entire bearing radiated annoyance and no one was able to meet his emerald orbs. Not one person had the courage to ask why he wouldn’t fight, not after how depressed they got upon finding out about his abilities.

Albion turned to leave, having gotten tired of dealing with people. “Even if I was willing to fight, I am still only one person; I cannot be everywhere all the time.”

The general stared at the teen’s retreating back, slightly surprised. _‘Well, I didn’t expect that. He wasn’t even as cold as he used to be.’_ A small smile curved his lips as he turned back to the others who were still staring out the door, wide-eyed.

“Um…excuse me?”

Mamoru raised his hand sheepishly, staring at who seemed to be the commander of this place. “Isn’t all of this supposed to be confidential or something? Is it okay if I know about it…?”

SOARA and Growth looked startled, having completely forgotten about the civilian in their midst. Mikoto turned an amused gaze upon them, waving a hand in dismissal. “It’s fine; Albion would have known that you were here and yet he still allowed me to tell everyone. I trust that you wouldn’t tell anyone?”

The burgundy haired teen nodded vigorously, looking determined. Satisfied at the response, the general addressed Growth’s leader. “Kouki, do you mind looking into temporary accommodations for him? Just until we find something permanent.”

Kouki nodded his acquiescence, “If it is alright, Mamoru can have one of the rooms in ALIVE’s quarters. There are a lot that are currently unused.”

“Of course. I want all of you to check in at the Medical Division, Fujimura-san as well. Afterwards, I want the captains in my office; I’ll give you two hours. Dismissed.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Tsubasa sat on the couch in SQ’s shared lounge, pouting. Shiki had been avoiding him ever since he and Shu had come back from their meeting with the general. He wasn’t happy with that, having wanted to talk to him alone.

“Sulking isn’t going to make Shiki come to you, Tsubasa,” Dai said from Tsubasa’s left, accepting the mug Rikka handed him. Taking a sip, he was surprised to find that it was chocolate instead of coffee. The pink haired man only smiled at his expression.

Rikka took a seat on Tsubasa’s other side, drinking from his own mug. “He was really scared, you know. That he was going to lose you. So were we.”

“Rikka….”

“You’re not allowed to do that again, idiot!”

Startled, Tsubasa’s head shot up; golden yellow met angry cobalt blue, Ichiru standing in front of him. A glare was etched on the thirteen year old’s features as he pointed at the blonde furiously.

“Did you even think of us when you did something so stupid?! Yeah, I get it; you wanted to save Shiki-san but you could have used your magic instead! Aren’t you always going on about being the strongest Fire Mage?!”

Rikka and Dai stayed quiet during this little tirade; both of them knew that Tsubasa needed to hear it and neither could have quite the same impact as the younger Kuga.

Tsubasa was taken aback, his mind returning to that horrible moment. In all honesty, he was really scared back then, not that he would admit it. But like Shiki had promised, he had kept him safe. It was because of panic and the fear that had still remained, that drove him to physically throw himself in front of the purple haired leader.

In hindsight, he knew that it was stupid of him. Tsubasa could have easily put up a shield but had acted irrationally, thus leading to this situation.

Staring at Ichiru, Tsubasa noticed the younger’s trembling frame. _‘He was afraid,’_ he realized, _‘of losing me.’_

Normally, he would have made a joke but it was not the time or place. Besides, Shu and Eichi would kill him themselves if he made fun of Ichiru when he was like this, he noted; a wry smile crossing his face as he noticed Shu holding back Eichi from fussing over the younger twin.

“I’m sorry,” Tsubasa stood up, wrapping his arms around the shocked teen and pulling him into a hug. Ichiru stood frozen for a moment, before burying his face into the other’s chest, his hands grabbing tightly onto the blonde’s shirt.

“Idiot, idiot, idiot! You’re so stupid….!”

“Yes, yes; you always say that.”

A tug on his sleeve alerted Tsubasa to the fact that the other twin was standing next to him. Issei had a worried expression on his face, which was very unlike him.

“Tsubasa-san…”

“You too, huh, Issei? Come here.”

He held out his arm, Issei immediately grabbing onto him and mimicking Ichiru but more silent. Tsubasa smiled sadly as he felt a wetness form on his clothes; both twins were crying into his shirt. It was unlike him, but he’d allow it; it was his own fault that started all this.

Issei and Ichiru were just children, after all.

A few minutes later, the twins pulled away, wiping their eyes on their sleeves. Stepping back, they immediately latched onto Shu and Eichi who had come up behind him.

“I’m glad you’re okay, Tsubasa! But please don’t let it happen again.”

“I won’t, Eichi; I don’t think these guys would be very happy with me if I do.”

Tsubasa jabbed a thumb over his shoulder, indicating his friends slash teammates. Shu shot him a quick smile, offering, “Shiki is in the training room right now; straighten him out for me, won’t you?”

“Will do!”

The blonde chirped cheerfully, pausing a bit before turning on his heel. He threw himself at Rikka and Dai, grinning when he felt their arms winding around him. “I’m sorry I worried you guys.”

The blue haired man huffed at the whispered apology, ruffling the other’s blonde locks. Ignoring the protest, he said, “That’s payback for all the times you did it to me.”

“Mou….Dai-chan!”

“Don’t call me Dai-chan.”

A chuckle cut off their banter and they both turned to see Rikka smiling at them. “Go on now, Tsubasa; Shiki’s waiting for you.”

“Okay~”

Waving a hand, Tsubasa slipped out the room. He moved purposefully through the corridors, intent on cornering Shiki before the latter could flee. There was no way he was allowing the atmosphere between them to remain awkward.

The tell-tale swish of blades let him know that Shiki was still in the training room and Tsubasa poked his head in; the leader of SolidS had his back to him, practicing his sword style. Usually, the blonde would stop whatever he was doing and watch in fascination as Shiki handled his dual blades.

Not this time.

Silencing his presence, Tsubasa dashed forward the instant Shiki sheathed his swords, tackling him to the ground in a way reminiscent of how he had done so just mere hours ago. The latter tensed in surprise, starting to struggle when he regained his senses.

“Who-“

“You’re not running away again, Shiki.”

The captain froze again, going deathly still. He hadn’t wanted to face Tsubasa just yet, not while the incident was still fresh in his memory. Looks like the blonde didn’t agree with him and it was probably for the best; Shiki would try to put it off as long as he could.

“Get off me, Tsubasa.”

“No.”

Tsubasa retorted in a huff, rearranging himself so that he was sitting on Shiki’s back and pinning his wrists down on the floor. They weren’t going anywhere until they talked, that was for certain.

“How are you doing, darling?”

“I’m f-“

“Don’t you dare say that you’re fine! I’m not afraid to admit that I’m not fine at all!”

The shout shocked Shiki into silence, eyes going wide. Tsubasa’s voice held an obvious tremble, giving away the fact that he was still frightened.

No one could recover from a near-death experience so soon.

Something splashing on his exposed neck pulled Shiki back to reality and he realized that they were tears. He twisted his head and blinked as a teardrop splashed just below his right eye. Tsubasa was crying openly, tears streaming down his cheeks as his lips trembled with the force of the storm that he hid within.

“I was so scared….I still am! I didn’t want to lose you so I acted recklessly but I also didn’t want to die! But I had no choice…if I was to die like that, I wanted it to be by your hand; as a human, not as some monster.”

“You think I was alright with doing that? There’s no way I could hurt you!”

**_“And that’s exactly why I asked you to kill me!”_ **

The scream echoed in the room, stunning Shiki. Tsubasa’s grip on his arms loosened, allowing him to twist around to lie on his back, staring up dumbfounded at the blonde who was straddling him.

Tsubasa grabbed the front of Shiki’s shirt, pulling him so close that their faces almost touched. At this short distance, Shiki could clearly see the sorrow and fear shimmering in tear-filled eyes.

“I know that you could never harm me…you would never be able to kill me if I became a Vine. And I would end up killing you…Dai-chan and Rikka too. I would never be able to forgive myself if that happened…”

“Tsubasa, I-“

“I’m sorry that I asked such a thing of you, but I couldn’t see a way out…I’m so sorry…so please don’t push me away like this!”

Shiki felt guilty, staring down at the blond mop pressed against his chest. _‘I really should have talked to him right at the start,’_ he mused ruefully, wrapping his arms around Tsubasa and embracing him tightly. _‘I should have known better than to think that he wasn’t also hurt.’_

“I’m sorry too.”

“Stupid Shiki….”

Tsubasa sniffed, wiping hastily at his red eyes but not making a move to pull away from the embrace. It was warm and comforting, doing wonders for his nerves and calming his fears. Shiki’s steady heartbeat told him that this was real and he wasn’t dreaming.

_That he was still alive._

“You know,” Shiki started, resting his chin atop Tsubasa’s head, “you’re the reason that I fight.”

“Huh?”

Ignoring the questioning glance, he continued, “I know that I would still have Dai, Rikka, Shu and the others even if you’re gone. But…you’re the most precious.”

“That sounds suspiciously like a confession.”

Tsubasa stared at Shiki blankly, his crimson cheeks the only indicator that the words had embarrassed him. Shaking his head, he dropped back onto his leader and friend with a sigh.

“I’m tired…you’re taking responsibility for this, darling.”

“Of course, honey.”

He could hear the smirk in Shiki’s voice and pouted. So unfair!

“Have you two made up?”

Rikka’s voice floated over to their ears and the duo turned to the door just in time to see the rest of SolidS and QUELL walking in, the two getting to their feet as the others reached them.

Shiki and Tsubasa exchanged looks, breaking into smiles which turned into full-out laughter, the sound resonating pleasantly in the room.

“Yeah…yeah, we have.”

They might have encountered a painful situation but they came out of it unbroken. They knew they would get stronger from here on and would never fall again.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

“Hah….that was an amazing bath!”

Mamoru collapsed onto his bed, dressed in the clean clothes Kouki had found for him. Curling up atop the sheets, he let his body relax; he had been out in the wastelands for years and had forgotten how to even use most of the appliances available in the room.

Water, food and clean clothes were luxuries when you were stranded out in the open, with barely any protection.

Brown eyes fluttered closed, sleep attempting to claim the teen. But just as Mamoru was about to doze off, flashes of memories played out before his eyes and he jolted, sitting up. He was breathing heavily, the horrors he had faced the previous day still fresh in his mind.

“That’s right…there’s no way I can get over it so soon…”

Pulling his knees up to his chest, he curled up into a tight ball. Mamoru didn’t want to be alone at that moment, but he had lost everyone he had ever known and had no one to go to. Feeling miserable, he let the tears fall; there was no one to see him cry anyway.

 

Kouki paused in the middle of opening the door to his room, hand still on the doorknob. He looked over at the room next to his, a small frown twisting his lips. He had given it to Mamoru, with an offer to come talk to him if he wanted.

The older teen had just lost everything and everyone he knew and despite the cheerful attitude he projected, Kouki could tell that Mamoru was depressed. He was deeply worried for the other. Making a quick decision, he stepped away from his door, intending to check on Mamoru.

“Kou!”

Turning around at the call of his name, Kouki saw Ryota and Kensuke approaching him. Both of them had changed back into casual clothes, looking more refreshed since the last time he saw them.

“Did you just get back?”

“Yes, Ryo; I thought I could check on Mamoru first though…”

At this, the two looked past the blonde to Mamoru’s room. Kensuke frowned sadly, “The poor guy’s probably suffering a lot now. Okay, I’ll come with you!”

“Ken, you….Fine, count me in as well.”

The three teens moved over to their destination, Kouki knocking and then pushing open the door when he didn’t get a response.

“Mamoru, are you- huh?“

“What’s wrong, Kou?”

“He’s not here…”

Blinking in surprise, Kensuke and Ryota peered over Kouki’s shoulders to take a look for themselves. Just like the blonde had said, Mamoru was nowhere to be found; the messy bed was the only indicator that the older teen had been in there in the first place.

“Do you think he wandered off somewhere?” Kensuke asked hurriedly, alarmed. Mamoru couldn’t leave the quarters without anyone noticing, so he _had_ to be around somewhere.

Ryota hummed in agreement. “It’s possible, but I don’t think he went too far. Wait, let me try to find him.” The silvery blonde closed his eyes, spreading out his senses throughout the whole building. It wasn’t too hard to locate Mamoru; his Light Magic shone like a beacon, since it was so untamed.

“He’s…up on the roof?”

“Wait, _what?!_ He’s not going to-“

“Calm down,” Ryota cut across Kensuke, annoyed. “He’s just sitting up there.”

The other two looked relieved at this, Kouki suggesting, “Let’s go talk to him.”

 

Just like Ryota had said, Mamoru was sitting on the roof, staring out over the Moon Garden. The air was chilly, a breeze ruffling his clothes but he didn’t seem to notice; brown eyes were glassy and swollen, the redness around them giving away the fact that he had been crying.

“Mamoru?”

The aforementioned teen jerked out of his stupor and turned his head, meeting worried sapphire orbs. “Kou-kun…?” Mamoru winced; his voice came out weak and hoarse, the result of sobbing his heart out for a long time.

“You had us worried, you know,” Kensuke remarked as he walked towards him, Ryota just behind him. The burgundy haired teen flinched as if struck, misinterpreting the statement as a reprimand.

“Sorry…”

“Why are you apologizing? Did you do something wrong?” Ryota asked, raising an eyebrow. “Causing worry is not necessarily a bad thing.”

Mamoru didn’t answer, only nodding his head slightly. The three members of Growth exchanged concerned glances; if he didn’t snap out of it soon, it was possible for his mental state to take a dive.

Kouki sat down next to the depressed teen, gently placing a hand on the latter’s shoulder. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“I don’t want to trouble you…”

“It’s okay! We’re willing to listen; right, Ryo?”

“Yes, yes; now spill.”

The words may have been harsh, but Mamoru could tell that Ryota meant well. Uncurling a little, he stared at the horizon.

“I…I don’t know what to do,” he admitted softly. “Back then, I found out that I had magic and helped you guys, but…I feel guilty. If only I had realized sooner…I could have saved everyone.”

Tears were streaming down his cheeks again but he wasn’t sobbing like before. It was like all the energy was drained from him.

None of the trio had experienced such a huge loss so they weren’t sure about what to say. But they knew that they wanted to help the despairing young man.

“I won’t say it will be alright,” Kouki said suddenly, startling Mamoru who turned to look at him. “Because I think that sadness will remain no matter how much time passes. But you should also remember that you have happy memories of the people you held dear and keep them alive in your heart.”

 _‘That’s right…’_ Mamoru thought, looking down at his hands resting on his lap. _‘Kou-kun said something similar before, that I should remember them as proof that they existed.’_

“Thank you,” he said after a long silence, a smile finally curving his lips and brightening his features a little. Mamoru still felt sad but he could feel some of it lift at the comforting words. He was certain that he could get back on his feet and find the meaning of his survival.

Not quite yet though; he still needed to work through his grief.

Arms wrapping around his shoulders surprised him and Mamoru felt himself be pulled into a warm hug. Kouki gently led him to rest his head on his shoulder, stroking through fluffy burgundy hair.

“Let it all out, we’ll stay with you.”

_We’ll protect you._

Mamoru teared up again, holding back just long enough to choke out, “Can I...can I go back there just once? To get some closure…”

“I’m sure that can be arranged,” came the prompt reply from Ryota, Kensuke nodded vigorously in agreement, a wide grin on his face.

“Thank you….”

 

“He fell asleep,” Kouki murmured softly, staring down at the warm bundle in his arms. Mamoru had cried himself to sleep, finally giving in to the exhaustion that clung to him like a veil. Kensuke looked over at them, hiding a grin behind his hand at the cute sight the pair made.

“Let’s get inside,” suggested Ryota. “It’s getting colder.”

The others agreed, getting to their feet, Mamoru still in Kouki’s arms; he shifted slightly at the movement but didn’t wake. Silently, the group made their way off the roof, heading over to Mamoru’s room.

Once inside, Kensuke peeled back the covers, allowing Kouki to settle the sleeping teen onto the mattress and then pulling the sheets over him. Ensuring that he was comfortable, the trio quietly stepped outside.

Kouki was the last to leave, taking one last look at Mamoru who seemed to be at peace now. Smiling at the sight, he closed the door behind him.

“Good night, Mamoru. Sweet dreams.”

Inside the room, Mamoru smiled.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Kurotsuki Dai climbed up the stairs to Procellarum’s floor, pausing for a moment to wave to Tsukishiro Kanade on Six Gravity’s floor. The two of them had decided to check on the boys, wanting to make sure that they were all fine.

The corridor was quiet, looking almost eerie in the moonlight that streamed in from the large glass windows. For an instant, Kurotsuki thought that everything was peaceful until a strange sound reached his ears.

It was the sound of someone whimpering.

Eyes widening in alarm, he tried to pinpoint where it was coming from and determined it was from Rui’s room, considering that it was faint and sounded a bit far from where he was.

However, just as Kurotsuki was about to get to him, the sound suddenly stopped and the air was still again.

_‘What…?’_

Letting curiosity getting the better of him, he proceeded to go to Rui’s room anyway. Slowly nudging the door open, he was surprised at the sight that met his eyes.

A white figure was seated on the edge of the bed, his back to the newcomer. Rui was asleep, body curled slightly towards his companion. Emerald eyes were watching him impassively, Albion channeling a little bit of calming magic through his hand into the younger teen.

“Nightmares?”

Kurotsuki asked, knowing that the captain was aware of his presence even if he didn’t give any indication of it. His answer was a single nod, confirming his suspicions; nightmares were a possible occurrence for almost all of the boys, considering the fact that it was the first time they had fought for real.

Sighing, the man stepped quietly into the room, moving to stand just behind Albion. Amused brown eyes tracked the gentle movement of the white haired teen’s hand; the captain was running his hand through Rui’s long green hair in a comforting manner, not withdrawing when the younger snuggled into the touch.

In a few minutes, Rui’s breath evened out completely and the creases on his forehead disappeared, indicating that his dreams were peaceful now. Albion stood up and moved to the side when Kurotsuki stepped closer, adjusting the blankets.

Soft footsteps told him that the teen had left the room and he followed, shutting the door as quietly as possible. Turning around, Kurotsuki noted that Albion was still there, staring out at the moon; he appeared ethereal and otherworldly in the silver rays of light.

“For someone who acts so cold, you’re rather kind, you know?”

Emerald eyes flickered over to him at this statement and Kurotsuki shrugged, walking to stand beside the captain. Up close, Albion looked like a ceramic doll, fragile and easily shattered, especially since he was dressed only in a white sweater and grey jeans rather than the bulky uniform. The teen was built more like a dancer, lithe and slender instead of someone like Kai or Hajime.

_‘Well, he’s more of a magician than a frontline fighter? But I could be wrong.’_

The teen in front of him had already proved that his appearance was deceptive; Kurotsuki would bet everything he had that Albion could level the shelter to the ground in less than a second and walk away unscathed. He had never heard of someone possessing such great magical strength and he had a feeling that Albion held even more secrets.

“Are you going to keep staring at me?”

“Oh, oops! Sorry, sorry; I didn’t mean to. Anyway, was Rui the only one having nightmares?”

“…no.”

“Damn…ah, that’s to be expected. Did you watch over all of them?”

The silence was an answer in itself and Kurotsuki grinned; despite his initial misgivings, he thought he could actually come to like Albion. But still, he was curious.

“Why’d you go to all the trouble anyway? Nobody’s going to blame you if you didn’t.”

It was the truth; not every captain had the time or energy to monitor their team’s mental state, despite what they wished.

“They are under my care; I will allow no harm to befall them, be it their own mind.”

The reply was startling, giving Kurotsuki a glimpse into Albion’s complex personality. While his coldness and unsocial attitude might be real, his sense of responsibility was greater than anyone else’s. Yet, it seemed strange, like it didn’t really suit Albion.

But he could put that aside for later, for when he knew him better. Since the teen was unusually forthcoming, Kurotsuki decided to ask another question that had been bugging him.

“Back then, you said something; if the boys were done with fighting, you told them to leave. Did you really mean that, Albion?”

The captain of Procellarum turned to face the older man completely, emerald orbs piercing into brown. Tilting his head slightly, such that his bangs brushed across his cheek, he regarded the other.

“Of course; better they survive and be useful somewhere else, rather than die a meaningless death.”

Kurotsuki blinked at the unexpected answer; it was almost like Albion did not want anyone to die. Perhaps it wasn’t so unusual; surely he also wanted humanity to survive. He looked at the teen again and noticed his closed-off features.

_‘Guess he’s used up his openness quota for the day. I might as well leave before he decides to freeze me or something.’_

Patting the captain’s shoulder, Kurotsuki walked past him, saying, “You should get some sleep too, Albion; it’s pretty late already.”

He did not notice the assessing stare Albion shot him, green eyes narrowed in thought as he watched the older man walk away towards the stairs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone surprised at how OP Albion is?  
> By the way, I'm messing around with the ages so don't expect it to be very similar to canon.  
>  
> 
> This chapter was posted quickly but now I really have to put off working on long chapters like this for at least another two or three weeks, while I try to finish up my work for uni and catch up on my Growth High school AU. So please, be patient with me!


	9. Unpredictable

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *does a dogeza*
> 
> I'm so sorry for the late chapter! This one gave me a headache since I had to keep editing it a lot; I couldn't properly put into words what I pictured.
> 
> Ah, but you're not here to listen to me ramble, so on with the story!  
> I'll see you at the ending notes. Enjoy~

 

 

 

Soushi and Mori exchanged glances, the latter shrugging helplessly before the two turned back to stare at the other members of SOARA. Nozomu was jumping in place, chatting with Ren; the poor silver haired teen was flustered trying to keep up with the rapid flow of words tumbling out of his friend’s mouth.

But that was not their main concern.

Their usually energetic captain was nowhere to be found, which was unusual since Sora always hung around Soushi and Mori unless he had official duties to attend to. This was not the case since the bespectacled teen had already gone around asking the other units if they had seen the Wind Mage and had noticed the captains with their teams.

“Hah...”

“Sou?”

“Maybe we should go look for Sora one more time; he was spaced-out last night and unresponsive. I think he has a lot on his mind but he’s still exhausted from yesterday’s battle.”

Mori nodded, agreeing with the statement. Sora had used a lot of magic the previous day, having flown around for hours before ending up in a fierce battle. He had been unsteady on his feet and didn’t even eat much during dinner, invoking their worry. They hadn’t seen him during breakfast either.

“I’m worried that he might collapse from the strain. He’s probably under a lot of pressure.”

“Sou-nii? Do you think Sora-senpai is alright?”

The older duo turned around at Ren’s voice; he and Nozomu had abandoned their conversation and approached them, worried expressions on their faces.

“Yeah! I saw Sora-senpai last night when we went to bed and he looked really beat. Should we go look for him?”

“Ren, Nozomu...” Soushi sighed, an exasperated smile on his lips as he thought, _’You’re a bad captain, Sora, making your friends worry like this. You should really talk to us instead of brooding alone somewhere.’_

Before he could say anything, Mori spoke up, shooting a reassuring smile at the younger ones. “I won’t lie; he’s probably not fine. But Sora has us, right? And we should remind him of that, that we’d be here for him no matter what. Now, shall we go look for our wayward leader?”

“Yes!”

The four members of SOARA stood up, intent on scouring the entire base for Sora if they had to. At that moment, someone knocked on the door of their common room. Looking at each other in confusion, Mori called out for the person to come in.

A mop of grass-green hair came into sight, the young girl visibly nervous with traces of concern in her expression.

“Momosaki-san? Is something the matter?”

“Oh, Arihara-san! Yuki-san sent me to get everyone; we found Ohara-san collapsed in the garden earlier.”

Everything was quiet for a single heartbeat, before Nozomu exploded, peppering the poor girl with questions. Ren tried to hold him back, but his own concern prevented him from being of much use.

“Oi, Nozomu; stop that, you’re scaring her. Momosaki, is Sora alright?” Soushi asked, nonchalantly tugging the redhead back by the collar while ignoring his protests. Hina nodded, waving her hands to show that it wasn’t too bad.

“Yes, he just needs to rest! Ohara-san has magic exhaustion and needs to take it easy for a few days but otherwise he’s fine!”

“That idiot...would it be alright if we head to the Medical Division now?”

“Of course!”

It was a quiet group that made their way to Seleas and Fluna’s building. All the members of SOARA were in different stages of worry, hoping that their captain really was fine. They knew Sora was normally cheerful and upbeat so to hear that he had collapsed, it just didn’t sit right with them.

“Okay, we’re here!”

Hina stopped in front of a plain door and turned to face the boys. “Ohara-san is inside this room; Yuki-san decided to give him a private room in case he has to stay for a while.”

“Thank you, Momosaki. We’ll call if we need anything.”

“It’s no trouble; it’s my job after all!”

The green-haired girl chirped brightly before turning around and leaving the boys to their own devices. They watched for a while as the girl disappeared as she turned the corner, all of them hesitant to open the door.

“Well, nothing’s going to happen just standing here. Let’s go in.”

Soushi grasped the doorknob, twisting it firmly and pushing the door open. Ren and Nozomu peered over his shoulders, trying to get a look inside.

The room was quiet, sunlight streaming in through the gaps in the blinds drawn over the windows. It was peaceful unlike the turmoil within the four teens. The atmosphere was a clear contrast.

Sora lay on the single bed in the room, pure white blankets pulled over him. Magical circles hovered in the air around the bed; Mori recognized them as monitoring spells, to watch the patient’s vitals and also contingency ones to tide over any sudden complication until a medic arrived.

Yuki really was thorough.

“Sora-senpai looks really pale; is he going to be alright?”

Nozomu poked the older teen’s cheek with a cautious finger, a worried frown on his face. Ren sweat-dropped, swatting away his finger. “Nozomu, don’t do that! And Momosaki-san said he was really exhausted, so it’s no wonder that he looks sick.”

“Let’s just wait by Sora’s side for now? We should let him rest,” Mori suggested, pulling up a chair and sitting down next to the bed. Soushi mimicked his actions, taking a seat next to the bespectacled teen and indicating that the other two should do the same.

They had nothing else to do, anyway.

Minutes passed by in silence, the entire room silent except for the sounds of their breathing and the crinkling of the blankets whenever Sora moved in his sleep. Nozomu was fidgeting every now and then, not used to staying still for so long but also not wanting to be kicked out for being noisy.

“Hnn...”

A soft groan attracted his attention to the bed, where Sora was starting to twist and turn. The captain’s face was contorted, whether in fear or pain was not clear. The others also got to their feet, Ren asking, “Should I call for a medic?”

“No, I think it’s a nightmare,” replied Mori, pale green eyes focused on the readings from the monitoring spells. He had some knowledge of healing magic, thanks to his mother who had been a medic. From what he could tell, Sora’s heart rate had skyrocketed suddenly and his breathing was irregular, coming in gasps.

Nothing indicated to abnormalities in the unconscious teen’s body and all the signs pointed to a nightmare. “We should try to wake him up.”

But before any of them could move, Sora shot up with a scream; his eyes were wild and teary and he seemed disoriented. In his panic, his limbs got entangled with the blankets, trapping him and making him even more agitated.

“Sora, calm down!”

The stern command made the aforementioned teen flinch and he looked up to see Soushi standing in front of his bed, arms crossed and a stern expression on his features. Out of the corner of his eye, Sora could see Ren and Nozomu hovering a little farther away, uncertain as to what to do.

“You...you’re not dead?”

Raising an eyebrow at the croaked whisper, Soushi easily shot back, “Of course not. We’re all fine, as you can see.” He could tell that the other’s nightmare probably involved them dying or hurt and knew that panicking would only agitate the other further.

“B-But-! You were all c-covered in b-b-blood and-and....!”

Mori and Soushi exchanged worried glances, turning back to look at the mumbling teen. They had no clue as to where the idea of them being dead had come from but if they were to guess, it might have been because of the previous day’s events.

Knowing that it would be futile to reassure him with words, Mori sat down next to Sora. The captain let out a confused noise, watching him warily. He still thought that he was dreaming and his friend’s presence was just a figment of his imagination.

“Sora.”

Mori didn’t say more, simply taking Sora’s hand and placing it over his heart with a smile. Orange-red eyes widened, feeling the steady pulse of life beneath his palm.

“Can you feel that, Sora? I’m right here; you’re not dreaming.”

In a single sentence, Mori addressed all of Sora’s fears. A kind smile curved his lips as the shorter teen raised his eyes to look at him properly, almost like a hesitant child.

“The others...”

“We’re fine too, Sora-senpai!”

Nozomu shot his friend a peace-sign and a wide grin when Sora turned to look at him and Ren approached the bed cautiously, smiling in a reassuring manner as he said, “It’s okay, Sora-senpai; nothing bad has happened to us.”

“Don’t think too much; just focus on us, Sora.”

Closing his eyes at Soushi’s words, Sora took a deep breath. Instead of simply looking at his friends, he chose to sense their magical signatures. It made him feel safe whenever he did so.

Mori’s presence was warm and gentle, soothing his nerves while Soushi’s was like a pillar of strength, calm and unfaltering. Nozomu’s was cheerful and bright, Ren’s being a complete contrast next to him, feeling like a quiet and steady ocean.

“Thanks, guys...I’m okay now.”

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

“So...mind telling us where that came from?”

Sora chuckled sheepishly at Soushi’s question; it was a valid one but thinking back on it, it felt silly now. The others weren’t going to let him so he wracked his brain for a suitable answer. “It probably sounds stupid...but, ever since we came back from yesterday’s mission- no, even while we were on the mission, I felt helpless.”

He clenched his fists, the blankets bunching up under his fingers. Staring down at his lap, Sora missed the concerned glances sent his way as he continued, “We technically failed our mission, right? Since we only saved Mamoru-san, or rather he saved us...I couldn’t help any of you when you needed it either.”

Ah, the failure of being unable to protect the ones most important to you.

Ren could understand, since he felt the same way. Unlike the others, he wasn’t adept at casting spells and knew only to handle his sword. He didn’t know why he couldn’t use his magic properly but it did weigh on his mind often. Because of this, the silver haired teen was able to sympathize with Sora; as a captain he was sure that Sora had it harder.

“Sora-senpai...I understand what you’re saying but please, remember that we’re a team. We’re meant to work together so you shouldn’t try to shoulder the burden all by yourself. Even if it’s not something you can talk about with Nozomu or me, you still have Sou-nii and Mori-senpai!”

“Ren’s right, Sora-senpai! We’re here for you when you need it!”

Wide-eyed, Sora stared at the two younger members of SOARA. That’s right, he had forgotten that he really wasn’t alone thanks to the pressure of his position. When compared to the other captains, he knew he wasn’t the best or outstanding in any particular skill.

His insecurities had stemmed from the opinion that everyone else was so much better than him, growing greater especially after hearing how strong Albion was. Even the other captains were much stronger and Sora felt he was weak and insignificant compared to someone like Hajime or the other captains. Thanks to this, his heart had wavered and he began to fear that he would be the cause of his friends’ deaths.

Sora had thought he needed to grow stronger, strong enough that he could protect everyone he loved. While it wasn’t a bad thing, he had gone about it completely the wrong way. He had thought that he had to become someone who could do anything.

But that’s not what the others wanted, was it?

 _‘They just want me to do my best; how could I have forgotten that?’_ Sniffing as he rubbed his eyes, Sora hid a relieved smile behind his sleeve; his friends really were the best. Slowly, he could feel himself becoming relaxed as the last of his fears faded away, locked in the back of his mind. It was probable that he might have more nightmares or get anxious from time to time, but he realised that there would always be someone to knock him back to his senses.

“Sorry, I seem to have forgotten the most important things, right?”

“’Forgotten’ is putting it lightly, idiot,” Soushi remarked as he flicked his friend’s forehead, ignoring his whines as he proceeded to ruffle Sora’s hair. “Talk to us instead of bottling it up; you know you can rely on us.”

“That’s enough, Sou,” Mori chuckled as he pulled Soushi’s hand off Sora’s head. “Let’s become stronger together, okay? Sora.”

“Mori-!”

Tearfully yelling, the captain of SOARA glomped the blonde and buried his face in the other’s shoulder, half-heartedly complaining about tall, handsome jerks who were mean to him. Everyone laughed, internally relieved that Sora was back to normal.

The atmosphere was peaceful for a while before a bell dinged in Ren’s head and he asked, “Come to think of it, Sora-senpai; why were you in the garden in the first place?”

“Urk...”

Sora stiffened, expression sheepish as he had hoped they had forgotten about that.

“What’s with that expression?”

 _‘Sou is going to kill me-!’_ he whined internally as he considered running away. This plan was nipped in the bud as Soushi towered over him, having realised that the captain had done something stupid once again.

“Hehe...I was experimenting with Wind Magic since I couldn’t sleep! I’m sorry!”

“...you knew that you had magic exhaustion, right?”

“Yes...?”

“And yet you were practising your spells? Are you an idiot?!”

“Wah!! I’m sorry!”

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

The click of the door knob turning had Ai look up from her papers just in time to see her partner step inside the room.

“Welcome back, Yuki.”

Shutting the door gently, the dark haired girl returned the greeting with a smile. “I’m back, Ai.” Yuki had just finished checking the inventory and making a list of items that need to be restocked, the job taking up most of the morning.

“Do you have the results from Sora-san’s tests? I need to go through them again.”

“Didn’t you already determine that he fainted due to magic exhaustion?” Ai asked, nevertheless getting up to look for the necessary file. The head medic of Fluna always had great intuition and if she was asking for something to be double-checked, then there was more information to be found.

“I know; it’s just that it doesn’t feel right.”

The pink haired girl paused, her hands freezing in place where she was rummaging in the cabinet. “What do you mean, Yuki? Do you think something’s wrong with Ohara-san?”

These words caught the attention of the rest of Fluna, who hadn’t realized that their leader had returned. “Yuki-san? Is something the matter?” Hina asked, concern in her features. She was the one who had performed the scans on Sora and hadn’t detected anything abnormal.

Yuki simply shook her head, a reassuring smile directed at the green haired girl. “I also checked Sora-san and found the same things as you did. I simply feel there is more to it.”

“Oh.”

“Don’t worry, Hina! You did your best!” Chisa chirped brightly, patting her friend on the back in a comforting manner. Each girl had her own specialty and thereby it was not expected of them to be adept in all fields, except basic healing.

Finally finding what she was looking for, Ai handed the file to Yuki. The leader flipped it open, eyes skimming over the text and charts. Done with her perusal, she placed it on the table; a small frown curved her lips, causing the rest of Fluna to stare at each other in confusion.

“I don’t get it...”

“What is it, Yuki-san? Maybe we can help?” came the suggestion from Wakaba, leaning forward on her elbows as she stared at the dark haired girl. “Perhaps it’s something we know about.”

Nodding her head once, Yuki pushed her hair back over her shoulders. “I’m certain everyone knows about how the captains are selected? Tsubaki and I performed cursory scans on their magical cores as per protocol; they were quite strong and developed, meaning that they had a lot of magic.”

Kurisu caught onto her leader’s meaning, golden eyes wide with surprise. “If that’s the case, then how come Sora-san fainted from magic exhaustion? There’s no way he could have used up all his magic in yesterday’s battle!”

Understanding dawned upon the other four members as the golden-blonde dived for the computer, rapidly jabbing in commands via the keyboard. In an instant, medical reports of the ALIVE units were visible on the screen, containing data of their medical scans from the previous day.

All the girls stared at the screen, comparing the magic levels of the boys after the battle and their usual stats before comparing them with each other. Deftly typing in a few more commands, Kurisu pulled only the data on their magic levels, displaying them in a comparative chart.

“See? This is clearly a discrepancy!”

The facts were obvious; Sora’s magic levels were abnormally low, even lower than Ren’s, who had the least magic out of everyone in SOARA and Growth. “Kouki-san has the least difference but that doesn’t matter since he actually doesn’t use active magic anyway.”

Just what was going on?

“It is most likely to be a magical seal or something of the sort, designed to be undetectable by normal means.”

The new voice had them all turning to see a white haired girl standing behind them. Crimson eyes were trained on the chart, Tsubaki frowning faintly as she debated possibilities in her mind.

“She’s probably right; I think it drains Sora-san’s magic slowly without his knowledge,” Yuno agreed, the rest of Seleas coming up behind her. “But the question is: who would have cast such a seal and why?”

Silence descended upon them as the twelve girls pondered on the question. It was broken by Reina clapping her hands, drawing the attention to her. “In any case, there’s nothing we can do about it; we should try to find a way to break the seal instead!”

“And also report this to the general. If someone is going around sabotaging the boys, we need to stop it as soon as possible.” Sharp nods met Tsubaki’s statement, all of them getting up to start researching on the seal. Magical sealing was not something done nowadays and not many had the knowledge on how to do it or to reverse the effects.

Noticing the other leader staring blankly at something on a screen, Yuki walked over. “Is there something bothering you, Tsubaki? You seem distracted.”

“Yuki, what do you think of Albion?”

The unexpected question made her blink and she considered what she knew of Procellarum’s leader. “Powerful,” she finally answered, choosing her words carefully. “Calm and determined, with an unwillingness to fight yet capable of doing so brilliantly. Is that what you’re asking?”

Tsubaki shook her head, tucking a lock of white hair behind her ear. “Does he feel strange to you? Like he is not really noticing the people around him?”

 _‘She actually sounds hesitant; this must be bothering her a lot,’_ thought Yuki, staring at the younger girl in surprise. “I’m afraid I don’t know; the only time I talked to him personally was when he was explaining the effects of his spell, Reverse, so that I could take proper care of Tsubasa-san.”

“It certainly is an unusual spell,” agreed the leader of Seleas. “To be able to turn back time, it is a commendable feat. But I hope that he does not have to use it often.”

Twisting her head in shock, Yuki stared at Tsubaki with a sharp look, light purple eyes meeting crimson which looked back solemnly. “What do you mean?”

“I did some research into Time Magic last night and everything I found led to disastrous conclusions, focused on the caster. Magicians who usually dabble with time are driven mad, even self-destructing because of the effects.”

“Effects?”

“Yes, from what I understood, in order to manipulate time, you need to process all the information in the time span you intend to affect. So the more the amount of time Albion reverses...”

“...the more amount of information he needs to process!” Yuki finished incredulously. “Human brains are not designed to handle that much stress; the caster would eventually break down. But Albion didn’t seem too affected. Is it because of the small area of effect?”

“I suspect so,” Tsubaki admitted; she still hadn’t processed the enormity of the strain the spell caused and was still in disbelief. “Perhaps it is also because most information is replicated, since all the cells in the human body are affected in a similar fashion. It would certainly reduce the amount of data that needs to be processed.”

Yuki considered the theory and tilted her head, indicating her agreement. It was amazing, what Albion could do and still remain sane. She wondered why the general had not disclosed this information but deduced it wasn’t necessary to do so; there was no way anyone else could cast the spell anyway.

Deciding to file away this information to think about later, the older girl gave a tired smile. “For now, shall we get back to Sora-san’s case? It is more urgent and I’m sure Albion knows what he’s doing.”

Tsubaki watched as Yuki walked away to sit at her own desk, before turning her attention back to her screen. The truth was, there was something more that was bothering her that she had not mentioned. Staring at the image of Procellarum’s leader on her monitor, she frowned, her heart churning in turmoil.

She didn’t know why but she had felt a strange connection to the white haired teen the moment she had first seen him. It was why she had poured all her energy into researching Time Magic and had been frightened for the first time in her life, when she realized all the negative consequences that Albion could face.

It was unexplainable, what she felt; Tsubaki didn’t understand why Albion invoked such strong feelings in her, but she decided to not question it. Fate always had a way of answering such questions and she would just wait for the right time.

For now, she would just watch over this mysterious person and keep her concern in her heart.

_‘Just who are you, Albion?’_

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

“No.”

“Pleaaase? It will only be a short while!”

“The answer is still no.”

Kensuke pouted, he had been trying to convince the general to let Growth escort Mamoru back to where they had found him. But he had been shot down no matter what he had said and the others were no help either.

“But-”

A tug on his sleeve cut him off and he looked to see Mamoru smiling at him sadly. “It’s okay, Ken-kun; I know my request was unreasonable. Thank you for trying though!”

“Mamoru...”

The general watched the boys with a neutral expression; in truth, he wanted to allow them to go but because of the uncertainties of the outside world he felt that it would be too dangerous, especially since they had just returned.

An emergency retrieval also couldn’t be performed since the teleportation system needed to recharge. They really needed to design a more efficient spell. Perhaps he could somehow wrangle Albion into doing it?

 _‘Ah, speak of the devil and he shall appear,’_ Mikoto thought wryly as the doors to his office opened and Albion stepped in, buried in a sheaf of papers he was reading. His curiosity was piqued; the papers were yellow and crinkled, meaning that they were old records.

A light bulb went off in Kensuke’s head and proving that he had no fear in his body, he walked over to the older teen and asked, “Albion-san, would you be willing to teleport us? It’s just for a little while!”

“No.”

“Ehhh?! But why?!”

“Because I don’t want to.”

Slight shifting caught his attention and Albion looked over Kensuke’s shoulder to see the rest of Growth and Mamoru also staring at him hopefully.

“Please, Albion-san? It really is only for a short time,” Kouki pleaded softly, sapphire eyes shimmering. The leader of Procellarum stared at them for a few moments then let out a sigh of defeat.

“...fine. Be ready in ten minutes. I’ll meet you at the teleport point.”

At this, four faces lit up, Ryota quietly thanking him before ushering the others out the door, as if Albion would change his mind if they dawdled around.

Once the door shut behind them, Mikoto let out the laugh he had been holding back and teased, “You’re still as soft as ever, Albion, especially for-”

“Don’t you dare finish that sentence.”

“Alright, alright,” the general still kept chuckling, sensing no anger behind the teen’s words. “So? What did you come here for?” Glaring at the man for a second, Albion placed a flash drive on the desk, tapping it with a finger.

“Here’s the information you wanted about my observations on all the units. Also get Tsubaki or Yuki to report to you later; I think they found something troubling,” he said, recalling the medical units running to and fro between the archives and their department.

The statement caused Mikoto to frown, fearing that something was wrong again. He took the flash drive and plugged it in, eyes widening in surprise at the comprehensive report visible on the screen. Albion sure went all out when he wanted to.

“And the papers?” the general asked, gesturing to the sheaf in the teen’s hand.

“...it was just idle curiosity. I’ll tell you if I find anything concrete.”

 

 

 

Fifteen minutes later saw the three members of Growth and Mamoru back in the desolate plain, staring at the graves lined in the ground. Albion had refused to join them, instead choosing to take a seat at the edge of the cliff and watching the surroundings.

“I wish I could have brought them flowers...” murmured Mamoru, kneeling in front of the grave closest to him. Flowers were expensive due to their rarity; all soil resources were used to grow food crop only since there wasn’t much fertile land.

Clasping his hands together, Mamoru closed his eyes. _‘Even though you’re all gone, I’ll always keep you alive in my heart and memory. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me and I pray that you find peace in the afterlife.’_

He was still sad but he was slowly getting over it, knowing that his friends wouldn’t have wanted to dwell on it. The only thing Mamoru could do was move on, living his life to the fullest for the sake of those he loved.

Kouki looked up when Mamoru began to sing, a peaceful expression on his face. It was like he was sending up a prayer, his voice resonating over the empty plains.

Mamoru felt sorrow, loneliness from losing everyone he ever knew. He remembered the joyful moments when they would laugh and dance, just to forget the cruelty of the world around them for a little while. He yearned to go back to that time.

_“Lalalae lai ee_  
_Yearning for an ordinary person’s_  
_Joy and sorrow and everything inside”_

But he knew that it was not possible. So instead he prayed for their souls to find rest, after all the suffering they had faced in their lives. Maybe one day, they would be reborn and Mamoru could meet them again.

_“Lalalae lai ee_  
_Sending out the light of life_  
_So someone can be engulfed and changed into a new light”_

This prayer that he sent up, it wasn’t just for his lost friends. It was for all those who had died in horrible circumstances, wishing for a brighter future where they could be happy and peaceful.

_“It won’t end, it will continue through the night  
It flows by just like stars”_

Opening his eyes, Mamoru noticed Kouki, Kensuke and Ryota standing to the side, far away that they wouldn’t disturb him yet close enough that he could feel their presence.

_‘Kou-kun, Ken-kun, Ryo-kun…thank you. For saving this weak me…’_

Now, he sang for himself; in the lonely darkness that had enveloped him after his loss, a single ray of light had shone through. Kouki had found him, giving him hope to live on courageously. Kensuke and Ryota had followed, supporting him despite not being obligated to.

Mamoru was not alone anymore.

_“Gregorian, I won’t cry anymore because I am not alone_  
_It shines through my chest_  
_Gregorian, I can hear the words I need_  
_Someday I will hear that laughing voice again”_

He knew what he wanted to do.

 

“Kou-kun.”

“Yes?”

“Thank you,” Mamoru smiled, remembering the moment when he first met the blonde. It was weird, how quickly he had grown attached to him, but he didn’t really mind.

Kouki looked confused, not sure what Mamoru was thanking him for but he shook it away and replied, “You’re welcome, Mamoru.”

“Ken-kun and Ryo-kun too, thank you. Because of you all, I know what I want to do.” The older teen’s face was peaceful with a hint of determination. “I want to fight too, for the sake of those who can’t. I want to use this power…so that no one else will end up like me.”

Kensuke grinned, slinging an arm around Mamoru’s neck. “You sure? There will be a lot of fighting; you might get hurt many times too!”

“Eh? Ah…yes, I’m sure. I’ll do my best!”

“In that case, why don’t you join us?”

All heads swiveled to Ryota, who shrugged. “We have only three members which is, by the way, lesser than the other units. And you’re pretty powerful, which would be useful for us.”

“Ryo’s right, but it’s your decision, Mamoru,” interjected Kouki. He would be happy to have the older teen in his team, as long as he joined willingly. “We’d gladly accept you if you’re okay with it.”

Beaming, Mamoru nodded, “I’ll be happy to join you guys! But won’t I need training and permission or something?” There definitely had to be some procedure for this kind of thing and he didn’t want to mess things up.

“We can talk it over with the general when we get back.”

Soft footsteps interrupted their conversation and the four turned to see Albion approaching them, his expression passive as he held out something to Mamoru.

“Albion-san?”

“Take it. I believe this is meant for you.”

Something hard dropped into Mamoru’s outstretched hands and he blinked; it was a small stone, each facet a different color and shining dimly with an inner glow.

“What is it?”

Ryota stared at the little gem, eyebrows drawn in confusion. “A magic stone? But I’ve never seen one with multiple colors before.”

“It’s a Soul Stone.”

Sighing at their blank looks, Albion continued, “It is formed from the remnants of a human soul. Every person, magician or not, possesses Soul Energy. When they die, these gems sometimes are created from the little energy their souls leave behind.”

“A Soul Stone usually has a single color, for a single soul; but since many died here and from what I understand, they were non-magicians, all their energy combined to form one fairly large stone instead of multiple tiny ones.”

Tears trailed down Mamoru’s cheeks as he hugged the gem to his chest. He did have something left of his past after all. This precious item would remind him of his loved ones, while also serving as an indicator of his resolve.

“Thank you, Albion-san…”

The pale teen did not give any form of reply as he walked forward, among the lines of graves. Gasps erupted from the four standing behind; bluish-white crystal-like vines had burst out of the ground from wherever he stepped, spreading across the plain.

Soon, the entire expanse of land was covered with the vines, roses blooming from where they wrapped around the graves. It looked like an ethereal garden, flowers decorating the once desolate land. All they could say was that it was beautiful, the plants sparkling whenever light hit them.

Mamoru stared in awe, thankful for the beautiful gift Albion had given for his friends’ final resting place. Stepping forward carefully so as to not damage the plants, he gently touched one of the roses.

“Ice roses…?”

“Magical ones,” confirmed Albion as he returned to the group. “The spell feeds on ambient magic so there is no need for the caster to maintain it. There is also a protection component, to ensure that this place won’t be desecrated by the monsters.”

“Thank you so much…I’m sure they all would appreciate it…”

Albion simply closed his eyes, a tilt of his head the only acknowledgement of Mamoru’s gratitude. He wasn’t so cruel as to dishonor the dead. Walking away, he said, “We’ll leave in fifteen minutes, sooner if you’re ready to go.”

The quartet stared as the leader of Procellarum returned to his position atop the cliff, Mamoru happily saying, “Albion-san is really kind, isn’t he?”

Kensuke chuckled nervously, “That depends on who you ask. A lot of people say that he’s cold and unfriendly but he did do something nice, finding the Soul Stone and making these flowers.”

“It is not our place to judge him, Ken,” Ryota said as he turned back to the flower covered plains. “But no one can say that he is truly cruel, not after seeing this.”

Kouki didn’t contribute to the conversation, choosing to stare at the ice roses with a small smile. _‘Thank you, Albion-san; for bringing us here and everything you did for Mamoru.’_

“Shall we go back now, Mamoru?”

“Yes!”

Mamoru cast one last glance over his shoulder, before hastening his steps to catch up to his friends.

_‘Thank you and goodbye, everyone. From now on, I’ll walk my own path.’_

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Yoru sighed as he watched the scene in front of him, grey-blue eyes showing dismay. The training room was a mess, broken training dummies and equipment scattered all over the floor. Beside him, Kai laughed wryly, also watching as Yōu continued destroying the room.

“Is it okay to not stop him?” Iku asked nervously, brown eyes flitting between the angry redhead and his vice-captain. Yōu had been at it since breakfast and showed no signs of stopping any time soon. It was a good thing that Restoration spells existed; there would be no way to replace all the damaged equipment otherwise.

Kai scratched his head, not quite sure how to reply. “Well, I’d like to stop him but…” he winced as the Fire Mage let out an angry yell and another dummy went up in flames, “he’s more likely to toast me as well.”

Next to the tall brunette, Rui hummed in agreement.

“Whoa! What happened here?!”

The group turned around at the shriek; Six Gravity minus Hajime was heading towards them, carefully picking their way amongst the debris. A minor explosion caught their attention and they looked past the four members of Procellarum, freezing in place at the destruction Yōu had wrought.

Koi blinked then shuddered at the amount of damage, remarking, “Remind me never to get on Yōu-san’s bad side.”

“You’d do that anyway, pinkhead.”

“Oi Arata! I’m not stupid!”

“Noisy…”

Aoi facepalmed, sighing at his friends’ antics. Deciding to ignore them, he moved closer to Yoru and asked, “Why is Yōu so mad?”

“Hahaha…it has to do with our captain…? Or sort of, anyway,” the sheepish mage admitted. “Yōu is mad because Albion-san disappeared on us. We thought he might show up after yesterday’s events but he wasn’t even in his room.”

“Arrgh! I’ve had enough of that idiot!” Yōu raged, bringing all attention back on him. “Who the heck does he think he is, do as he likes?!!” The redhead was furious, ready to burn his captain to a crisp the moment he laid eyes on him.

He was willing to admit that most of them would have died or been badly hurt on their mission if it wasn’t for Albion’s help. But it irked him that the captain would just up and away when he should have been with his team.

_‘Make us strong and leave? Ha! How are you going to do that when you don’t even turn up; stupid leader!’_

Fuelled by his anger, the flames grew hotter and brighter making the remaining members of Procellarum and Six Gravity back away. They knew someone had to calm Yōu down before he brought the building down on their heads.

Suddenly the temperature dropped, the air cooling rapidly as ice spread across the floor and the walls. Yōu whipped around, startled as his magic was suppressed harshly and hence also causing the fire to die down. Soon only the ashes of the equipment he had destroyed remained and he winced internally, realizing the amount of damage he had done.

“Look.”

All the boys turned in the direction Rui pointed to; Albion was standing in the doorway, a disapproving frown curving pale pink lips downward. He had just parted ways from Growth after teleporting back to the Moon Garden, the quartet heading towards the general’s office while he had decided to return to the archives.

Midway on his route, erratic bursts of magic had caught his attention and Albion had allowed his senses to spread out. Pinpointing the source and sensing that it wouldn’t stop soon, he had adjusted his course to head towards Six Gravity and Procellarum’s training room; once there, he squashed the redhead’s magic and put out the fires.

A flick of his hand and a slight wave of magic rippled through the room; instantly the ashes rose up and swirled around, the equipment reforming into their original shapes and flying back to where they had been in the first place. All of this happened in a matter of seconds, leaving the others dumbfounded.

“May I ask if you had a reason to do this?”

Albion arched an eyebrow in a question, staring pointedly at Yōu. The redhead flushed, feeling slightly embarrassed but anger was overpowering the emotion; crossing his arms over his chest he stared back at his captain. “Yeah, I did! And it’s your fault; you don’t do what you’re supposed to do, disappear when you should be training us and acting all anti-social! Don’t you dare think that your assistance on one mission would erase those facts!”

Yōu panted with the force of his emotions, finally feeling calm settle over him at having gotten his feelings out. He didn’t regret what he had said, since technically, it really _was_ Albion’s fault in the first place.

Said teen considered his subordinate’s words and sighed internally; Yōu had a point. _‘I might as well give them what they want,’_ he thought. _‘That way, I might be able to leave the team faster.’_

“Fine.”

“Huh?”

The rest of Procellarum stared in surprise and no small amount of confusion when Albion walked into the room, shutting the door behind him and activating the protection spells embedded in the walls. He extended his right arm to the side, fingers stretched as if grasping for something.

Ice shards formed out of thin air, swirling around Albion’s fingertips before fusing together to form a long weapon. It was a beautiful rapier; the blade was made out of clear ice, shimmering in the light. The entire hilt was also made of ice, snowflakes decorating the guard.

“Wha-?”

“Draw your sword, Yōu.”

Finally getting the hint, Yōu let a victorious smirk cross his face. He drew his sword and got into position; judging by Albion’s stance and the words he had said at their first meeting, he could tell that the other was no pushover and he would need to bring his best game.

Everything was still for a moment and then the redhead leapt forward, blade at the side and angled downwards. He brought it up in an upward strike which Albion immediately blocked, pushing him back.

 _‘He’s strong!’_ Yōu thought, as he continued being on the offensive. A feint which was easily seen through, consecutive strikes which were rapidly blocked and turned back on him; nothing worked. He yelled in frustration, unable to land a single strike on the other teen.

“Damn you!” Yōu channeled his magic through his sword, flames enveloping the blade as he prepared a Sword Technique and swung twice in the shape of an X, flames cutting through the air towards Albion.

“Take this! **Sword-style: Flaming Cross Strike!** ”

Albion stared at the incoming attack impassively; he merely raised his rapier, the tip pointed at the centre of the X. As soon as the flames touched the ice blade, they froze and crumbled into snow which melted in the air.

All jaws dropped at the ease which Albion had dispelled the attack; he simply stood there like it was nothing. He now shifted his stance to an offensive one, causing Yōu to tense.

“My turn.”

Yōu had no time to prepare, barely being able to bring his sword up to deflect the jab Albion aimed at his neck. The next few seconds passed slowly, the redhead having to block the flurry of strikes the other rained down upon him.

He could have sworn that Albion took off a few strands of his hair.

“Oof!”

A moment of distraction cost him and Yōu flew back, crashing against the wall with a thud that made everyone wince. Albion had kicked him square in the stomach.

“Are the rest of you going to just stand there? Come!”

The remaining four members of Procellarum flinched at the command, Iku asking nervously, “What should we do, Kai-san?” The taller brunette shrugged and drew his sword, “We might not get another chance like this, so might as well make the most of it!”

With that Kai charged the captain, Yōu joining back in soon after. Iku and Rui still kept staring, unsure of what to do when bolts of yellow light shot at Albion, compelling him to cast a quick shield which he immediately followed up with a hail of icicles directed at the caster.

“Yoru-san?!”

Iku yelped as the icicles crashed against the shield Yoru managed to put up in time, snow temporarily blinding him. The Light Mage shot him a strained smile, “Albion-san did tell us to join and Kai-san agreed, so…”

Without another word, Yoru too joined the fray, covering Yōu’s back. A tug on his sleeve caught his attention and Iku looked down to see Rui staring at him, cat-like eyes gleaming curiously. “Let’s go, Ikkun.”

“You too, Rui? Okay!”

The youngest members of Procellarum joined the battle, making it five against one.

 

 

 

“Haru-san, will Albion-san be fine against all of them?”

The bespectacled teen shifted his gaze from the battle to Kakeru, who had spoken. Six Gravity had remained on the sidelines, staying clear from the line of fire. Hajime would not be pleased if he came back to find one of them hurt.

Haru hummed, green eyes tracking the battle carefully, “I’m sure he’ll be fine; the general already made it clear that he’s in a different league from us. From what I can see, Albion is purposely lowering the level of his abilities to match the rest of them.”

“Are you sure, Haru-san?” Koi asked skeptically. All he saw was Albion beating the others to a pulp, wincing in sympathy when Rui went flying into Yoru, the pair tumbling painfully to the ground. “This is more like a beat-down than training…”

“Pinkhead is an idiot.”

“Hah?! Say that again, Arata!”

“So noisy…”

“Arata is right, Koi,” Aoi cut in before the argument could escalate, sweat-dropping when Koi turned to him with an expression of betrayal. “Look closely; Albion-san is actually training them subtly.”

“Eh?”

Both Kakeru and Koi returned their attention back to the fight, trying to see what the others had apparently already noticed. Suddenly the pieces clicked and they watched wide-eyed, seeing everything in a new light.

Rather than train his members in the traditional way, Albion had gone for a more active approach; Kai, Yōu and Iku would get a fierce jab with his rapier if they overextended, kicks and punches if their stances were even slightly off, thereby forcing them to correct their mistakes unless they wanted to resemble a pin-cushion.

The mages, Rui and Yoru, had it a little different; if the spells they shot at Albion were too weak, they would bounce off the latter’s shield and hit the casters themselves. If _their_ shields were flimsy, then _his_ attacks would just plough through them and knock the boys off their feet.

None of them appeared to regret it though, getting back up with grim looks of determination. This routine continued for a while, until Albion seemed to tire of it. He decided enough was enough and with a strong blast of magic, tossed everyone away.

“That’s enough for today. I think you all know what you need to work on.”

Kai let out a low groan as he sat up; his body ached all over and he knew he was definitely going to be bruised the next day if he didn’t pay a visit to the Medical Division. Looking around, he saw the rest of his team in various states of disarray but none of them seemed particularly upset.

Seems like they were satisfied with their captain’s actions for now.

Kai stared at his hands, surprised to find that he wasn’t tired as he had expected to be, despite being bruised. He realized that it was thanks to Albion’s forceful adjustments; either he corrected his form or he suffered more injuries. Every little correction he had made had contributed to conserving his energy, while also making his movements smoother.

 _‘I guess we know why the general wanted Albion-san on the field,’_ Iku thought, pulling Rui to his feet. _‘He really is very strong and his way of training us is more effective than the normal way.’_ The brunette knew he had learned more in this single session than hours of going through katas.

 _‘Looks like Rui feels the same way,’_ Iku sweat-dropped as the shorter teen stared at their captain in awe; his eyes were shining and he looked more motivated than he had ever been.

Yōu grimaced at the state of his clothes as he dropped to lie on his back, staring up at the ceiling. He hadn’t expected his tantrum to end up like this but somehow, he felt he wouldn’t change it no matter what. “That person isn’t what he seems like at all…” he murmured under his breath; Yōu had been able to tell right from the start that Albion had been holding back his strength, so that he wouldn’t hurt them too badly.

A mop of black hair entered his vision and purple eyes met blue. Yoru smiled down at his friend, quietly saying, “See what I meant when I said Albion-san is kind?”

“Yeah, when he wants to be.”

Yōu grumbled when Yoru laughed at him, letting the other pull him up to his feet. They made their way to the rest of Procellarum, who had gathered near Albion. Said person didn’t pay them any attention, instead looking around for something.

“Are you searching for this, Albion-san?”

Aoi approached them, followed by the rest of Six Gravity; he held a stack of yellowed papers, which Albion took with a nod of thanks. “I’m sorry; I accidentally looked at the first page when I picked them up,” the platinum blonde admitted sheepishly.

“It’s fine; these are public records so it is not an issue.”

“Oh. If it’s okay, may I ask what they mean? I spotted some unfamiliar runes…”

Albion stared at him, making Aoi shift nervously. “It’s an ancient sealing ritual. I’m researching it for a personal project,” he finally replied. With that, he turned to his team who were standing behind him and waiting patiently.

“I want you to go through what you learned now and improve on it. We’ll do this again tomorrow. Be warned; I do not intend to assist those who do not put in the effort.”

“Yes, sir!” came the prompt reply.

 

 

 

“Albion.”

Hajime’s voice reached everyone’s ears and they spotted the dark-haired teen entering the room. Purple orbs were trained on his counterpart, Albion returning the stare unflinchingly.

“Hajime! Where have you been?” Haru asked, curious as to where his friend had been all day. The captain of Six Gravity raised an eyebrow when he noticed the state of Procellarum’s members; since none of them seemed bothered, he let it slide.

Finally shifting his gaze to Haru, Hajime replied, “…searching for this guy.” All of them face-palmed when he gestured to the other leader; it was actually funny in a sense.

“I don’t think I have any business with you, Hajime.”

“I know. I just want to talk.”

Albion sighed internally; he wanted minimal human interaction and everything that had happened so far had required it. He wondered if he could brush off Hajime in some way but dismissed the thought.

Hajime would just follow him until he got what he wanted.

“I need to go to the archives; you have until then.”

“That’s fine,” the dark-haired captain answered easily, turning to Haru to give him some instructions. Albion eyed him for a moment, his emotions unreadable. Deciding Hajime would follow him when he’s done, he made to leave the room, pausing when he recalled something.

“Yoru.”

“Y-Yes!”

“Come to my room later; I found a grimoire for you.”

Yoru perked up at this, a wide smile crossing his face once he realized that Albion had followed through on his promise. “Okay! Thank you very much, Albion-san!”

With that said, the captain exited the room, Hajime following behind.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Hajime stared at his counterpart, feeling that they were opposites in every sense of the word; they contrasted in personality, abilities and looks. It was like they were yin and yang.

He realized that it intrigued him.

“Do you intend to stare at me all day long?”

Albion’s voice held a hint of mockery, but Hajime couldn’t find it in himself to begrudge him for it; Haru had often told him his stare was unnerving and he probably made the other uncomfortable. “Sorry. I didn’t intend to do that.”

“…”

“Why do you not want to fight?”

“…I do not believe we are close enough for me to disclose that.”

“Fine. Then, why do you fight despite not wanting to?”

Green met purple, Albion staring at Hajime out of the corner of his eye. His step didn’t falter, but the air around them cooled, the only indication that the question was not welcomed.

A long silence and just as Hajime was about to ask something else, the other opened his mouth.

“The general has his ways; I merely agreed since this was the easiest path to achieve my goal.”

 _‘What goal?’_ Hajime thought but didn’t ask; the answer was not something he needed anyway. “…I wanted to thank you.” The other raised an eyebrow, the unspoken question clear in his eyes. “For helping Aoi, for warning us that time about the explosion, for saving Tsubasa-san.”

“It is not required, for I was simply following orders.”

“Nevertheless, thank you,” Hajime said, ignoring Albion’s words. “I understand that you took great risks whether you wanted to or not.” He stopped, an intense look on his face as he regarded his companion. “I do know the repercussions of Time Magic.”

Albion did not say anything to that, his head tilted slightly to the side.

 _‘He looks fragile,’_ the dark-haired teen thought, _‘Like anything could break him. It’s hard to believe that he’s the strongest one among us.’_

“Why does your magic feel hollow?”

It was something that had always bothered Hajime ever since he had laid eyes on Albion. Every person’s magic held a certain quality that was a mirror of their personality. It was what held them apart from other people; even identical twins with similar personalities felt different.

Albion’s magic was completely blank, or hollow like Hajime had described, void of personality except for a coldness that felt like it emanated from his very soul. Because of that, he felt fake.

“Is that how I feel?” Albion murmured under his breath; he honestly had no idea how his magic felt to others, having not bothered to check on it in ages. He had never cared about how others thought of him and didn’t think it was important. Out loud, he said, “I do not know myself.”

Even as he spoke the words, he knew it was a lie for he did have his suspicions, now that it had been brought to his attention. But Albion had no intention to reveal them. Hajime picked up on this and decided to drop the subject. He felt that the answer would have no impact on him.

“Then, if Moon Garden were to fall, what would you do?”

“I would never allow it,” came the swift answer, surprising Hajime who quickly countered, “You said you didn’t want to fight; you are contradicting yourself.”

Albion stopped in place, turning to face Hajime entirely. “Regardless, this place is one that I would never let be destroyed; no matter what.”

The fierce way the statement was delivered was startling; no one would have expected the usually icy captain to have a hidden passion within him. It was like he was almost a different person, but Hajime realized that there was more to it.

 _‘Asking him about it won’t give me answers,’_ Hajime mused, deciding to end the conversation; they had almost reached the archives, meaning that time was up. _‘I’ll just find them myself.’_

Letting a rare smile cross his face, the leader of Six Gravity looked at his counterpart; amusement welled in him when he noticed a flash of surprise in emerald eyes, which was quickly hidden. “Let’s end it here; I’ve got what I wanted.”

“…you haven’t asked me anything useful though?” Albion’s voice held its usual monotone, but there was a trace of confusion.

“Perhaps so, but I’ve learned enough to consider you an ally.”

With that Hajime turned on his heel, giving a slight wave of farewell before he left, heading in the direction of the training rooms.

 

 

 

Albion was left standing alone in front of the entrance to the archives, staring at his counterpart’s disappearing back. This time he didn’t hold back his sigh; today was more troublesome than it was worth.

Deciding he didn’t want to be bothered by anyone else, he masked his presence and also made himself invisible and silent for good measure. Satisfied with the results, Albion headed into the archives, mind wandering to the conversation he had just had with Hajime; the other was a puzzle, one he didn’t feel compelled to solve just yet.

Another sigh.

Humans were annoying to deal with.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Mamoru has finally joined Growth~  
> And we've (probably(?)) gotten a glimpse into Albion's complex character. Hajime approves of him now and Procella has gotten closer to him as well.
> 
> I doubt the next chapter will be as late as this one, but I make no promises. It might be just as long, though.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter!  
> Thank you for reading. *bows*
> 
>  
> 
> EDIT: I'm going to be editing the previous chapters by adding dates so that there's a comprehensive timeline, since I tend to jump all over the place. This is going to be a slow process but I'll finish it by the time I post the next chapter.


	10. Seals

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another late chapter...I'm really sorry!  
> I hit writer's block halfway through writing this chapter and couldn't progress at all. Also add to that the fact that I experienced a burnout; running on adrenaline for a long time apparently does that. But I'm okay now and I hope that I can be more consistent with my writing.
> 
> Now, onto the story!

 

 

 

 

_He was running._

_He didn’t know if he was running away or towards something; all he knew was that he had to run. He couldn’t see anything, for it was completely dark around him._

_He kept running._

_Slowly, it began to lighten and he could see some shapes. From what he could tell, he was standing on a rugged plain; barren and dry. The ground was cracked in places and he only just managed to stop in time to avoid falling into a crevice._

_“Ugh...”_

_A groan of pain reached his ears and he turned around, looking for the source. Sensing movement to his left, he cautiously crept forward. He hid behind a rock wall, slowly peeking out to see what was going on._

_‘Shiki...?’_

_It was the purple-haired leader kneeling on the ground a few meters ahead, body limp with an expression of terror etched on his face. His dual swords were discarded, out of reach._

_A screech cut through the air and he looked past Shiki to see one of the Vines rearing to attack, jaw wide and hands outstretched. But it was the sword that caught his attention, a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He would recognize that red hilt anywhere, with the tiny yellow stones decorating the guard and the engravings of flames on the pommel._

_The blond hair that shone in the minimal light, despite having dulled as a consequence of becoming a Vine, only confirmed his suspicions._

_Dread crept into his heart as he watched the scene, frozen in place. The sword was raised high in the air and with a flash of metal, it was brought down just as a scream ripped from his throat._

_“TSUBASA, NOOO!”_

 

 

Dai shot up, mouth still open in a silent scream and hand stretched out in an attempt to grab something that was not there. He clutched his chest, trying to calm down; blue eyes swept through his surroundings, finally recognizing it as his own room.

“Another nightmare...”

He dropped his head into his hands, sighing deeply. Ever since that awful mission a week ago, Dai had been having nightmares; this was the first time Tsubasa had been featured so clearly. He usually only saw his back. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he glanced at the clock on his bedside table.

1:43 AM.

Maybe he could try to get back to sleep but Dai had a feeling that sleep won’t be coming so easily that night. He swung his legs off the bed, pulling his blankets to the side as he stood up. The building was quiet, helping to settle his thoughts. Perhaps a cup of tea would be good.

Pausing for a moment in front of Tsubasa’s room on his way to the kitchenette in the common room, Dai pushed the door open quietly. The blond was lying in bed, curled up tightly in his blankets. He was safe and _human_. This brought on a wave of reassurance, telling Dai that Tsubasa was just fine and it had been only a dream.

No matter how much he and Tsubasa bickered, the younger man always considered the blonde as his best friend and would never want to lose him. Dai closed the door softly, to ensure that he won’t disturb the sleeping Fire Mage.

The muffled sounds of his own footsteps were his only companions as Dai continued to the kitchenette. He kept noise to a minimum, hoping that he didn’t wake the others. Filling a kettle with water, he placed it on the stove; while the water was boiling, he stared at the cupboards, wondering what tea he should pick.

Coffee would have been great, but he was trying to sleep, not get hyper on caffeine.

“Dai?”

Said person nearly jumped out of his skin, turning in shock to the doorway; Rikka was leaning slightly on the doorframe, a sleepy expression on his face as he rubbed his eyes with his sleeve.

“Sorry, did I wake you? I tried to not make much noise...” Dai apologised, pulling out a chair for the older man. Rikka chuckled as he sat down, shaking his head in the negative. “No, I just couldn’t sleep and then saw the light. Tea?” he guessed, taking a quick glance at the kettle.

Remembering what he had come for, Dai nodded as he turned around, managing to take the kettle off before it let out a whistle. He returned his attention to the cupboards, still not sure which tea to pick.

Rikka decided for him. “May I suggest the chamomile? It’s relaxing.” The blue-haired man nodded, taking the mentioned tea bags. Silence decided upon the duo, Dai passing a cup to the other who accepted it with a murmured word of thanks.

For a few minutes, the atmosphere was comfortable as the two sipped their tea slowly. Rikka stared at Dai out of the corner of his eye, wondering what had prompted him to wake up so late at night.

“I can tell what you’re thinking.”

The wry statement startled him, pink meeting blue as the taller man stared down at Rikka. Dai shifted his gaze to his cup, watching his reflection in the brown liquid. Normally, he was not one to show any signs of weakness but he was troubled by the continuous nightmares.

Maybe talking to someone would help.

“...nightmares.”

“Pardon?”

“I’ve been having nightmares. Mostly about _that_ day, but...yeah. Things like that.”

“...oh.”

Both of them fell silent, neither quite knowing what to say. But perhaps there was no need for conversation, Dai thought, a fluttering feeling in his chest as he noticed Rikka smiling at him with sympathy. Not pity.

Perhaps he was not alone with his nightmare riddled nights after all.

 

 

 

* * *

 

  

 

The smell of coffee and the sound of soft tapping woke him and blue eyes opened, bleary with hints of sleep. He didn’t want to wake up yet; he was wrapped in warmth and he wanted to stay like that as long as possible.

“Good morning, Dai. And Rikka, you can stop pretending to be asleep now.”

_‘Wha-?’_

A short chuckle cut off his thoughts and Dai became painfully aware of a familiar weight at his side, leaning against him casually. He was sure his brain had short-circuited or he was still dreaming; _there was no way he could have fallen asleep on Rikka like that!_

“Oh, calm down Dai; I didn’t mind. Besides, it kept the nightmares at bay.”

Rikka was very aware of sharp purple eyes looking both him and Dai over; there was nothing that happened in SolidS’ quarters that escaped Shiki’s notice anyway. He ignored his leader as he got up, deftly catching the blanket that slipped off - _thank you, Shiki-_ and stretched, feeling rather relaxed for the first time in a long time.

“S-Sorry, I didn’t mean to...” Dai trailed off, uncertain of what to apologize for. He and Rikka had been talking well into the night, moving to the couch to get comfortable while they talked and apparently, had fallen asleep on each other eventually.

But Rikka was right; the company did keep the nightmares at bay.

That was why he only made a token protest when the pink-haired man ruffled his hair and shot a grateful smile at his friend, receiving a wink and a smile in return.

“I suppose I should be grateful that Tsubasa isn’t here to tease us to hell and back.”

Rikka laughed, “He _would_ do that, wouldn’t he?”

“He-” the standing pair startled, “has already seen you being all lovey-dovey and is now getting sick of your sappy glances. Now shoo, I want to sleep more and you’re not helping.”

Rikka and Dai turned around in perfect unison to see golden eyes glaring at them, drowsy and sleep-ridden. Tsubasa harrumphed, shooting them one last glare before he pulled the blanket - _Shiki’s blanket, only he had that ridiculous purple fluffy one-_ over his head and disappeared from sight, only tufts of blonde hair visible.

Tsubasa was practically a blanket burrito, curled up tight on the couch and head pillowed on their leader’s lap. Shiki only smirked, placing his tablet down to free his hand and patted the blonde’s head while simultaneously drinking his coffee.

There was a warning glint in his eyes, that told Dai and Rikka not to ask _why_ Tsubasa was with him and not in his own room if he wanted to sleep. It was obvious though; if _they_ had nightmares of their almost-gone-disastrous mission, then _Tsubasa_ would have it a _million_ times worse. They only nodded, their expressions showing their understanding.

Shiki’s stern look softened and he waved them off, saying, “The general has called for a meeting of all the units in an hour. Go take a shower and get dressed; breakfast is ready.”

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Tsukino Mikoto sat in a chair to the side near the head of the conference room, absently watching the girls of Fluna and Seleas rushing around. They were setting up the things they needed for the meeting and there was quite a bit to organise.

He sighed, pushing down his feelings of rage and concern that had simmered for the past few days. Yuki and Tsubaki had come forth with frankly horrible reports and he wasn’t sure he would be able to hold his temper when all the information was made available to his teams. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Mikoto glanced about the room, looking for a distraction. His eyes fell on the group of teens huddled together, sequestered in a corner of the room.

Albion was seated on a couch, a large tome open on his lap and a mug of hot chocolate held in his right hand. He was performing small-scale spells with his other hand, presumably simulations of whatever he was demonstrating. Yoru was seated on his left, grey-blue eyes watching intently and asking questions at some points.

So it was a magic lesson for the Light Mage, also proved by the fact that the colour of the spells was golden.

Rui was on Albion’s right, cat-like eyes sparkling with awe; who knows what the sensor was seeing to make him so awestruck. Iku was seated on the arm of the couch behind Rui, watching his partner fondly while also listening to his captain’s words. Leaning on the back of the couch behind Albion was Kai, laughing loudly whenever Albion made a spell explode in front of his face. Yōu had dragged a chair over to the couch and plopped down on it backwards, arguing with Albion about some of the things the white-haired teen said.

The entire scene was astounding to Mikoto; Albion was hostile to almost everyone just days ago and now here he was, calmly explaining the intricacies of magic to his team and also fielding any argument expertly. There was also the way he was making the spells explode; it looked almost _playful_.

The general shook his head in fond exasperation, _‘I wonder if Albion himself has realized how much he has dropped his guard around the rest of Procellarum. And it was rather fast too. I just hope nothing happens to make this progress go to waste.’_

It was only because he was watching that Mikoto noticed it; the way that Albion’s expression shuttered when the other units walked in was painful to see, all the walls raised back up in an instant. Much to his surprise, the rest of Procellarum frowned in unison and exchanged glances, before pulling Albion back into the conversation. It was done with surprising ease, which told Mikoto that the white-haired captain was only comfortable with his team.

Understandable, since he spent the most time with them.

Nevertheless, it was progress and Mikoto hoped that Albion would someday open up to everyone.

Once all the members had gathered, the general cleared his throat, attracting all the attention to him. “Good morning, everyone. I’m sure you’re wondering why I called this emergency meeting and that with all the units. I’m afraid it concerns everyone. A few days ago, after your first missions, Yuki and Tsubaki came to me with a frankly concerning report.”

He paused at this, looking around at all the tensed faces. _‘They have the right to be. I have no idea if this is going to blow up spectacularly in our faces.’_ He continued, “I’m sure I can do this, but I’d rather let the girls explain.” He stepped back, gesturing to the girls to take the stage.

Yuki stepped forward, a tablet clutched in her grasp. “As you all know, Fluna and Seleas performed medical scans for everyone after the missions. It was later that I noticed a discrepancy, something rather troubling.” She tapped on her handheld device, six holograms appearing in the air behind her. It showed magic levels of the members of each unit, before and after the battle.

“At first glance, you don’t see anything wrong. But if you look close, you’ll find that Sora-san’s magic levels are absurdly low after the battle. It is possible that he did use up a lot of magic in the fight, but it does not count for the rapid drop in levels. Sora-san has large magic reserves and it is abnormal that it dropped so low that he collapsed from magic exhaustion.”

Said captain of SOARA was deathly pale, only kept from bolting from his seat by the grips Mori and Soushi had on him to ground him. He managed to choke out, “Is there something wrong with me?”

Tsubaki shook her head, white hair falling over her shoulders as she did so. “If there were, we would have noticed during the tests we performed on you before you were made a captain. As a result, we deduced it was something undetectable by normal methods.”

“And that is?” Hajime asked, expression grim.

“Seals.”

The blunt answer took everyone aback, all of them staring in shock.

“It was the only way someone could by-pass diagnosis spells and we were right. We took this to the general, who then ordered us to perform scans on everyone.”

“Oh! The sudden medical tests we had to undergo, it was for that?” Yuki inclined her head in agreement to Ren’s question.

“We already knew Sora-san’s issue, so we started with that. This is what we found.” She fiddled with her tablet, dismissing the holograms and displaying a new one with a seal.

It was rather intricate, with various runes inscribed in it, lines and curves both connecting and separating them. The seal was circular with two concentric circles at the edges and four runes at each quadrant. There were other runes scattered in the interior of the seal, some of them enclosed in circles and remaining solitary from others and some connected by lines.

It was Haru who pointed out the obvious discrepancy. “Why are there _two_ colours in the same seal? Aren’t seals supposed to glow with the colour of the user’s magic?”

Just like he had said, the displayed seal had two colours: crimson and orange. The dominant colour was orange, glowing brightly despite it being only a hologram.

Tsubaki nodded in agreement, “That is true. We detected two different magic signatures so we suspect it was placed by two people working together-”

“No.”

All heads turned to the interrupter, surprised at the certainty in his voice. Albion merely flicked his hand, his own tablet materialising out of thin air. In his other hand appeared a stylus and he immediately starting manipulating the hologram.

As everyone watched in fascination, the seal split into two; one screen displayed the crimson fragments of the seal and the other the orange ones.

“While you are correct that there were two people, you are mistaken that they were working together. The seal was _tampered._ ”

There was stunned silence for a moment as the inhabitants of the room took that in. Mizuki cleared her throat and spoke, carefully choosing her words, “Are you certain of this, Albion-san?”

Procellarum’s captain only inclined his head, green eyes calm and certain. “Of course. I am a Seal Master.”

“Oh.”

“Wait, wait, wait!”

“Kurisu-chan?”

The golden-blonde of Fluna stood up, pointing a finger at the white-haired teen. “How do we know that for sure? Sealing is not practised anymore and it’s rare to find anyone with more than passing knowledge on it!”

“You don’t,” Albion retorted matter-of-factly, raising a slender eyebrow at the startled girl. “However, I will not do anything that would harm another.”

Mikoto sighed, waving a hand at the girls. “Stand down, Kurisu. He’s right and he _is_ a Seal Master. I’ve seen some of his work and if he says that this is a tampered seal then I’m inclined to believe him.”

“Yes, well; we’ve gone off track. Albion-san, if you could explain?” Yuki intervened before the situation could devolve.

Said teen obliged, pulling up a third hologram showing the original seal. “This line here,” he tapped on his tablet and a line of the seal lit up in silver, “is not supposed to exist. All it does is divert the energy circulated through the seal, making it go in loops uselessly and completely redundant. No seal works like that. Also, the arrangement of the runes in the orange parts is a complete mess.”

Two runes on opposite sides of the seal now lit up, “These runes are also contradictory; **‘Calm’** and **‘Frenzy’** in the same seal? That’s just a recipe for disaster. I suspect that the first seal was placed for different purposes and some amateur later modified it for their own purposes.”

Albion frowned at something he noticed on the red fragments and fell silent, staring at his screen. The others took this time to assimilate this information and murmured amongst themselves.

“He’s right...” Tsukishiro murmured then smiled sheepishly when Kurotsuki looked askance at him, explaining, “I have some knowledge of seals and while I’m not an expert, I can understand when given a walkthrough like that. Albion’s right; that seal would be a ticking time-bomb if it weren’t for some of the security measures in the original seal.”

Sora had paled even further by now, clinging to consciousness by a thread. The rest of SOARA surrounded him, whispering words of assurance now and then. So when Albion started talking again, he grasped at it like a lifeline.

“I’ve figured it out. This is the original seal,” the red fragments rapidly became a whole seal, as he drew it on his tablet. This seal was neat, with minimal lines criss-crossing the circle and only a few runes, including **‘Calm’** and **‘Stability’**.

“It is designed to let out magic when a person’s reserves become full but their core has not stopped producing more magic. Considering the amount of contingencies placed, I suspect it was placed by a family member or someone close to Sora.”

The words made Sora recall a memory from long ago. “W-When I was a kid, I suddenly fell sick. My magic would lash out at everyone and also make my fever worse...Dad did something and I was fine after that. Is this...is this related to that?”

“Magic overload,” mused Shu, lost in thought. “It’s common in children who manifest their magic early and could be disastrous if not taken care of immediately.”

Albion nodded at the words, indicating that it was the right conclusion. Then his expression darkened, “The original of the tampering, though...”

The orange fragments now grew into a seal of its own, next to the red one. Despite it not being as messy as the seal currently on Sora, this one had a lot more runes than the red seal like **‘Frenzy’** , **‘Chaos’** and **‘Extraction’**.

Tsukishiro inhaled sharply as he stared at the seal, attracting attention to him.

“What is it, Kanade?”

“That seal...it is made to drain a person completely of magic and throw it into chaos, eventually...killing them.”

Fists gripping the arms of his chair hard, the general asked, his voice tight, “Is he right, Albion?”

“...yes.”

Everyone looked shaken, the implications of the seal hitting them hard. Tsubaki clutched her tablet hard, crimson eyes staring at the seal in horror. “We need to get it off immediately. I think the only reason he survived so far is because of the contrasting natures of the two seals.”

Mikoto almost snarled, barking out, “Albion!”

“I’m already on it.”

The captain swiped at his screen, dismissing the holograms and pulling up a new one, letting everyone watch him work. Right before their eyes a new seal took shape, silver magic tracing lines and curves and enclosing various runes. It was done in a matter of minutes, the completed seal displayed for all of them to see.

The new seal was beautiful for lack of better words, neat with more curves than lines indicating smooth flow of magic rather than sharp pulses and very few runes like **‘Cease’** and **‘Heal’**.

“You’re sure this will work? I will not lose one of mine to foolish people.”

“Quite sure. I’ve designed it to temporarily deactivate the tampered seal, then pull the fragments out piece by piece and dismantle them completely. At the end it would work on Sora’s core, healing it and ensuring that no ill-effects remain.”

Mikoto sighed, feeling grateful for the fact that Albion offered his abilities so freely, despite having been forced to join the teams. He rubbed a hand over his face and looked over at the trembling captain of SOARA. “Sora, this is your choice. When do you want this done?”

The brunette jolted, hands going to grasp at Mori and Soushi subconsciously while taking deep breaths to calm himself.

“Now...if possible.”

Albion stood up, passing the tome he had on his lap to Yoru and his tablet to Kai; he swiftly made his way to the younger captain, kneeling in front of him. Raising his hand, he drew the counter-seal in the air with his magic and waited.

“Calm yourself. It will only take a moment.”

“...okay. I’m ready.”

At the words, Albion pressed forward, palm resting on the younger’s chest as the seal sunk into him. For a moment there was nothing then the spot where the seal disappeared into glowed brightly, crimson and orange rays of light emitting from it. Albion pulled his hand away, tendrils of crimson and orange magic clinging to it and looking like he was wrenching it out of Sora’s body.

“Yuki, Tsubaki; if you could check on him.”

The words startled the girls and they moved forward, hands already glowing with magic. Albion stepped back to allow them to work, his hand still holding the tendrils of the removed seal.

“What are you doing with that?” Hajime asked curiously. It looked his counterpart was untangling the two different colored magic tendrils, isolating them into different crystal spheres. He raised an eyebrow when the orb containing the orange magic floated over to him and held his hand out, taking it.

“You can still use it to track the caster.”

Hajime nodded at the unspoken words; he would definitely find the bastard who did it. No one harms one of their own without paying the consequences.

Yuki and Tsubaki finally stepped back, small smiles of relief on their faces. “Sora-san will be fine now. There are no lingering effects.”

The tension in the room finally broke and the atmosphere became relaxed again at the assurance that their friend was fine.

Sora had finally regained some colour and he opened his mouth to express his gratitude when the orb with the crimson tendrils floated in front of his face, making him blink in surprise.

“Woah! What’s this?”

“Your father’s magic.”

“Eh?”

Orange-red eyes widened before Sora gently took the orb, cradling it carefully in his palms as Ren and Nozomu leant in to get a closer look. He shot a grateful smile at Albion before returning his attention to the sphere, delighting in the familiar feeling of his father’s magic.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

  

Kurotsuki Dai stared at the captain of Procellarum with a speculative glint in his brown eyes. Shifting movements caught his attention and he noticed Tsukishiro looking at him questioningly.

“Do you intend to ask him...?”

“Maybe. It’s been years, Tsukishiro; I don’t expect a miracle now.”

“It’s still worth a try.”

The taller man nodded in acknowledgment, returning his attention to the room at large when the general asked for the girls to continue. His query could wait for later, perhaps when they were in private.

“Well, then; the others are kind of straightforward,” said Yuki, straightening. “Fortunately not everyone had seals on them but the ones who do are the following.” She gestured to the screen, displaying a list of names.

Haru and Arata from Six Gravity.

Yōu and Rui from Procellarum.

Tsubasa from SolidS.

Issei and Ichiru from QUELL.

Ren from SOARA.

Kouki from Growth.

Tsubaki took over, “Apart from Issei, Ichiru and Kouki, the rest have the same seal, one Reina identified as a suppression seal. If you could verify it, Albion?” Both the pale teens stared at each other for a moment before Albion inclined his head in agreement, requesting for a visual of the seal.

Once the mentioned seal was displayed, the captain needed only a second to confirm the girls’ suspicions and drew up a counter-seal. “I believe you girls can manage this?”

A chorus of assent met the question and Hina moved to Haru, Chisa following behind to get to Arata. Matsuri went to Yōu, Yuno to Rui, Kurisu to Tsubasa and Wakaba to Ren; they were the ones most confident with sealing, apart from Yuki and Tsubaki. Their hands lit up with their magic and the seal hovered over their palms. Soon they were copying Albion’s actions from before, isolating the original seal’s magic in containment orbs.

“Hajime, Shiki; the two of you are best in identifying magical signatures. I want you two to track down the perpetrators, as soon as possible,” Mikoto ordered, tense and the two captains nodded. “Yuki, any idea what the seals were suppressing?”

The girl shook her head, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear. “I’m afraid not, sir.”

A sigh. “Albion?”

The teen also shook his head in the negative, replying, “The seals were all generalized, designed to seal one ability at random. So it can be anything from control to a secondary element or even a special ability.”

“Very well. I want everyone to keep an eye on your powers for a while until you find out what was sealed. What’s the issue with the twins?”

Shu and Eichi tensed at this, pulling the twins close. They didn’t protest at the action, showing how much they were affected. Issei and Ichiru were holding hands, the grip so tight that their hands were pale from lack of blood circulation.

Tsubaki hesitated, causing the tension to spike. “We are unsure.... The truth is that they also have the same seal as the others but theirs is somehow...entangled.”

“Entangled?”

“Yes. Like both their magic has combined somehow.”

Lime green eyes widened at this and Albion shot up, startling the rest of Procellarum around him. He ignored their questions as he crossed the room with quick strides and knelt in front of the twins, holding out a hand to both of them.

Issei and Ichiru exchanged worried glances, holding a silent conversation before turning back to the patiently kneeling teen with determined expressions. They raised their free hands, Issei placing his in Albion’s right hand and Ichiru in his left.

The twins jolted in place when they felt Albion’s magic gently prodding at their magic, hesitantly returning the action and feeling the trio’s magic twisting together. Everyone waited with bated breath, not daring to move. Issei and Ichiru were among the youngest and no one wanted anything harmful to occur to them.

Albion stood with a muffled curse, releasing the twins’ hands. He looked enraged, which shocked everyone since he only ever had a neutral or a cold expression on his face. It was a sign that something was seriously wrong.

“Twin bond.”

The forced out words held no meaning for anyone except for the other pair of twins in the room. Koi stilled while Ai gasped, the pair getting their respective leader’s attention.

“What’s wrong, Koi?”

Wide pink eyes turned to stare at his captain, worry reflecting in them. “Hajime-san, a twin bond can be very, very dangerous if tampered with...”

Ai continued her brother’s word, Yuki’s arm around her shoulders in a comforting gesture, “In their natural form, twin bonds are useful. But if the seal has messed with it, it could kill them...or worse.”

“Worse?” Shu demanded as he held Issei tight, Eichi doing the same with Ichiru. The twins themselves weren’t any better, trembling with suppressed fear.

Koi and Ai looked at each other, expressions grim as they said in unison, “Eternal torture.”

“Surely, you’re exaggera-”

“They are not.” Albion cut off the general’s words, visibly calming himself. “Twin bonds work like a feedback loop, channelling magic from one twin to the other. The amount of magic is amplified during each loop, generating near infinite levels of magic albeit at a slow rate. Other benefits include telepathy, sharing of abilities and enhanced healing.”

He sighed, returning to his seat. “The seal has suppressed this bond, resulting in the magic that is supposed to be channeled to remain within a single twin’s body. That is unnatural for twins; eventually they would reach a breaking point.”

“C-Can you fix it?” Eichi implored, voice quivering with fear and green eyes shining with unshed tears. The rest of QUELL also turned pleading eyes to Albion, knowing that only he could possibly have a solution to the problem.

Albion focused on the Kuga twins’ tear streaked yet brave expressions and nodded, allowing some of the ice in his gaze to melt, amused at the flash of surprise in the two pairs of dark blue eyes.

“Of course. Fortunately, they’re young so the bond is still not as developed. Even if it was not detected, they would still have a few years before it became an issue. As it is, I can remove the seal and fix the mess with the twin bond. Not now,” he added when Shu made to speak, “I need to prepare and it’s best if it was done in a comfortable setting. It will be...painful.”

“We’ll handle anything if we can get this stupid seal off us!!” Ichiru declared, face set in a determined glare as Issei nodded in agreement.

“We’ll do it after the meeting.”

Mikoto cleared his throat, “If that’s cleared, shall we finish with Kouki? I believe the twins need to be taken care of soon, to allow them a chance to recover.”

Tsubaki nodded, picking up her tablet. “Kouki’s is even more troubling than the twins, even at first glance. His is a powerful magic suppression seal, sealing nearly ninety percent of his magic.” Her voice held a note of incredulity, betraying her usual monotone.

The general looked at her with an assessing expression, carefully asking, “And nothing else?”

“No, sir.”

“I see. Kouki, would you explain or shall I?” he directed at the leader of Growth. Said blonde looked uncomfortable yet resigned, blue eyes dull while his lips curled into a frown.

“Kou, is everything alright?” Ryota inquired, worried about his friend. Kensuke hovered behind Kouki, leaning against the back of the couch where the others were seated.

“Does this have to do with why your magic is muffled but chaotic?”

Kouki blinked, turning to look at Mamoru who slapped his hands over his mouth, wide-eyed and a sheepish look on his face. “How do you know that?”

“Eh, um...I think I’m a sensor? Or something like that, anyway.”

Kouki shook his head in amusement. “Even a sensor shouldn’t be able to detect that. Remind me to test your abilities at a later time. Anyway, I’ll tell them myself, general; they deserve that from me.” Hands crept into his own, Ryota and Mamoru on either side while Kensuke squeezed his shoulders lightly. The blonde shot them a grateful smile and took a deep breath.

“I unlocked my magic when I was very young, around five years old. I had the best instructors so I learnt to control it fairly quickly. But my prowess attracted the envy of other older mages; one day when I was alone, they attacked me.”

There was perfect silence in the room, all of them hanging onto his every word.

“Although I survived, my magical core was damaged in that attack. We didn’t realize it immediately, though. Soon my magic went out of control, lashing out at anyone and also harming me greatly. In order to protect me, the seal was placed on me and suppressed most of my magic. It is also why I cannot cast spells normally and can only use my magic by channelling it through an artefact. I cannot use it freely anymore.”

After a long silence, Hajime finally spoke up, directing his question at the general. “Despite this, you allowed Kouki to be on the field?” The words only held a curious lilt, in no way blaming or undermining Kouki’s abilities.

Mikoto had a faint smile, “Kouki does not need his magic to be formidable. His archery skills are indisputable and you have not seen him wield a sword or his hand-to-hand combat abilities. Besides, the seal he has is one of the best; it will cause no harm to him or anyone around him. He is as safe as he can be.”

Hajime nodded, satisfied with the explanation. “I only wanted to know if you were aware of all the details.”

During this little exchange, Kouki was apologizing quietly to his friends. “I’m sorry I never said anything; especially to Ryo and Ken. I should have-”

“Stop right there! We understand you were worried; we’re not mad!” Kensuke cut the other’s apology midway, grinning down at his friend. Ryota nodded in agreement and turned to Mamoru, “How long have you known anyway?”

Mamoru rubbed the back of his head, looking mildly embarrassed, “Uh...since the day you started training me?”

“Yet you didn’t say anything?” Kouki asked incredulously, clearly surprised at how long he had known.

“Well, I thought maybe everyone knew. And if they didn’t, it wasn’t my secret to share. I also didn’t ask since I know you’d tell me if it was necessary.”

Kouki, Ryota and Kensuke stared at him, dumbfounded. It went on for so long that Mamoru started fidgeting, uncomfortable with the intense stares.

Muffled snickers broke the quartet out of their little bubble and they turned to see the rest of the occupants of the room watching them with barely concealed laughter.

“If you’re back with us, boys?” Mikoto asked dryly with a raised eyebrow. At their nods, he turned to the Medical Units. “If possible, I’d like you girls to take up sealing in your spare time. I don’t expect you all to become experts but we can’t depend on Albion all the time.”

“Of course, general,” the girls responded in unison, identical expressions of determination on their faces. Fluna and Seleas were only called when someone was injured or in a medical capacity so expanding their skill set would allow them to contribute more. It would certainly help in preventing similar harmful experiences with seals.

Tsukishiro interjected, “I’ll also resume my studies on sealing.”

Mikoto nodded in approval. “Albion, take care of the Kuga twins as soon as possible. Is there anything else to address?”

“Um...”

“What is it, Akane?”

“We didn’t actually scan Albion-san...we were never able to find him.”

The general bit back an exasperated sigh. Of course the brat was going to make things difficult for him; he wasn’t going to cover for him this time.

Said ‘brat’ picked up on this, “I don’t need it. As a Seal Master, I do have contingencies that prevent any seal from being placed on me against my will. On the other hand, I never went to the Academy.”

Hajime perked up at this, finding a possible hint for his investigation and questioned, “What does the Academy have to do with this?”

“Who do you think has had access to your magical cores before? And would wish to harm you?”

Understanding dawned and the dark haired teen immediately answered, “The instructors. The fact that the selection tests were sabotaged also aligns with this.”

The general slumped in his chair at this, feeling the exhaustion settle deep in his bones. “Alright, that’s enough. Start an official investigation; most of the Academy personnel are still held in custody. You can interrogate them first then discuss the results. This meeting is over. Everyone, you know what you need to do. Dismissed.”

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Hands slipping around his waist made him pause for a moment and Eichi stilled, allowing Shu to lean against his back comfortably before returning to the dishes.

“Shu?”

“Mmm...” His only answer was a slight hum, Shu tightening his grip and pressing closer to the brunette. Eichi let him be, sensing that the other wasn’t ready to talk yet. He let his mind wander, while his hands went through the motions of wiping the dishes almost subconsciously.

He was quite aware of what made Shu so upset after all. He would be lying if he said he wasn’t upset too.

Doing meaningless chores was Eichi’s way of distracting himself. If he didn’t keep his hands busy, he was sure he would be fussing over the twins and the children didn’t need that. Not now, at least.

It had been just over an hour since the captain of Procellarum had removed the seal on Issei and Ichiru and Eichi still couldn’t get the memory out of his mind. It wasn’t something he wanted to experience ever again.

 

 

_Ichiru had dragged Albion with him immediately after the meeting had ended, demanding that he perform the counter-seal at once. The older teen had obliged, beckoning QUELL to follow him. He led them through the building and stopped in front of one of the reinforced rooms._

_“It is best if we do this here; I can sense a lot of suppressed magic within you and I would prefer to minimize the backlash.”_

_They had agreed, entering the room and sealing it closed behind them. Interference might prove fatal._

_Unlike earlier, Albion had started drawing the seal on the floor, silvery white magic trailing from his hand as he walked in circles. It took longer than Shu had expected, watching the seal slowly grow in size._

_This seal was much more complicated than the previous counter-seal, having lines which he could tell meant that magic was going to be manipulated in pulses rather than allowing it to flow. There were also many runes, running in circles throughout the seal._

_“Why are there so many runes this time?”_

_Albion didn’t pause, eyes still focused on the rune he was inscribing as he answered, “Because I don’t want to hurt the children. Removing their seal is actually quite simple but the tangle of magic between them will prove disastrous and I do not want to damage their magical core.”_

_It was clear that he was explaining for their sakes as he gestured to the various runes, “There are some for stability, to sever the twin bond temporarily while I work out the mess then mend it.”_

_The teen hesitated for a moment before looking up at the twins. “If you wish it, I can place seals on you that will prevent anyone from tampering with your bond ever again. But I need your consent.”_

_Issei considered the offer; it would be nice if no one could hurt them with the bond again and he knew he could trust Albion to not do anything untoward. He turned to meet the identical eyes of his twin, instantly knowing that Ichiru had come to the same conclusion as him._

_“Yes, please.”_

_Albion didn’t need any more words, promptly returning to his work. He quickly placed his hand over the blank patch in the centre of the seal, runes spreading out and filling the space. Issei didn’t know anything about sealing so he couldn’t tell how it would work but he knew runes well enough to identify the ones that meant protection and shielding._

_“It is complete. If the two of you could stand in the middle.”_

_The Kuga twins gingerly stepped onto the seal, opting to stand back to back. Their bodies were tense, an undercurrent of fear in their expressions despite the bravado they tried to project. Shu and Eichi looked like they were using every ounce of control to stop themselves from rushing to the boys, standing stiffly near the door with their hands clenched tightly._

_Albion knelt at the edge of the seal, hands hovering just above it. “I will not lie; the process will be extremely painful. I would wish to spare you the pain but I need you to be conscious for it.”_

_“Just do it! We can’t stop now!” Ichiru snapped angrily, glaring at the kneeling captain. Albion didn’t take any offense, well aware that it was the adrenaline and fear speaking. He waited till the twins braced themselves then pressed his palms to the seal, activating it._

_Bright silver light filled the room and Shu flinched at how sudden it was. Nothing could have prepared him for what happened next._

_“AHHHHHH!”_

_Loud, high-pitched screaming reached his ears and his head snapped up, light blue eyes wide in shock. His heart clenched when he saw the twins’ faces, pale as a sheet due to the pain, streaks of dark blue on Issei’s skin and red on Ichiru’s. Shu could tell it was their magic, reacting to the seal. A hand clamped around his own, Eichi frozen in horror; his other hand was covering his mouth as tears spilled down his cheeks._

_Ichiru couldn’t breathe, his mouth wide open in a silent scream. He had lost the energy to make a sound five minutes in, barely registering that Issei had fallen silent as well. The pain was scorching and he felt like he was burning up, like he had been thrown into an inferno._

_After what seemed like forever, the fire slowly died down -which was actually the effect of ripping away the seal- and a chill spread over his body; Ichiru absently noted that it was somewhat soothing and it felt like Albion’s magic. What he didn’t know was that it really was Albion’s magic, fixing the mess made of the twin bond while simultaneously healing his body._

_Finally it was over, all the magic fading away and the silver glow that lit the room disappearing. Issei could not hold up his body any longer and he let himself fall. Instead of the cold, unforgiving floor he collapsed into a warm body and arms wrapped around him gently. He heard Eichi whispering comfortingly in his ear and relaxed, mustering the energy to turn his head._

_Relief filled the older Kuga twin at the sight of his brother cradled in Shu’s arms, safe and sound; he smiled slightly and gave Eichi’s arm a weak squeeze, finally giving into the exhaustion and everything went black._

 

 

Eichi snapped out of his memories upon feeling hands cupping his face. He blinked, looking down to see Shu staring at him with concern. “Are you alright, Eichi?”

“Yeah, sorry about that. I was just thinking about...” he waved a hand in a vague gesture, not quite sure how to articulate his turbulent feelings.

But it was okay; Shu seemed to get it, going by the understanding that crossed his features. “I’m worried about them too,” he murmured, light blue eyes sad and pained. Issei and Ichiru were very precious to him and he didn’t want to see them in pain, not after that time-

No. Best not to think of that time now.

Eichi let out a quiet sigh, eyelids fluttering closed as he raised his hands to cover Shu’s still resting on his cheeks, giving them a light squeeze. “If Icchi saw us right now, he’d be yelling at us to stop fussing over them so much.”

It was enough to make Shu laugh and the brunette grinned at the little victory. “And Issei would be trying to calm him down while also assuring us.”

“Hmm...Isse and Icchi are really strong, aren’t they?”

“Much stronger than anyone gives them credit for.”

The adults of QUELL stood in silence for a few minutes, letting the quiet wash over them and calming their emotions. Shu slowly stepped away, releasing Eichi’s face in favour of taking his hand and pulling him along. Despite being confused, Eichi followed willingly; the confusion disappeared when they stopped in front of the twins’ room.

Technically it was Issei’s but neither of them would stay in their own room by themselves and it was decided that Issei and Ichiru would just share. It made them happier that way, anyway.

Shu opened the door quietly and the two of them saw the twins curled up tight around each other under the sheets. They were still a little pale but their breathing was easier and some of the colour had returned to their cheeks. By unspoken agreement, the two adults sat down either side of the bed, behind each twin and leaned against the headboard.

“They look a lot better,” Eichi murmured and ran a hand through Ichiru’s hair, smiling when the younger Kuga snuggled into the touch. A hum of agreement met his statement, Shu’s gaze fixed on the relaxed faces of the twins.

“I wish we could do more for them...”

“Same here, Eichi; but I doubt either Issei or Ichiru would take kindly to us babying them too much. They’ve seen too much for that.”

The brunette sighed, knowing that it was true. He would have loved to keep the twins away from the horrors of the outside world but that had never been a possibility. All they could do was reduce the consequences.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Kurotsuki sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair in frustration. “That guy really is hard to find...”

“Hajime-kun did say that Albion-kun has a tendency to disappear.”

“Oi, Tsukishiro; whose side are you on?” The tall man stared in betrayal at the other man, who was laughing at his plight. Not bothering to reply to that, Tsukishiro walked on, saying, “We should ask the general; he might know where we can find him.”

Soon they were standing in front of said general, Mikoto hiding his amusement at seeing two of his assistants fidgeting like schoolchildren in trouble. He had an idea of why they were there, but he waited patiently for them to speak up.

Kurotsuki broke the silence, since it was he who wanted assistance. “We were hoping you could tell where we could find Albion, sir.”

“Oh? What for?”

“I’m sure you remember our last mission.”

The general inclined his head. Of course he remembered; one of his most promising teams had split up and it was probably for the best. Despite their prowess, the leader had been a self-centered jerk and had abused his authority many times. Kurotsuki being hit by friendly fire was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t be professional; Kurotsuki was well-aware that the situation could have been avoided but the attack was clearly done on purpose, not to mention the botched seal job that one of the members of the Assist Squad had done. Tsukishiro had protested vehemently, but the man had gone through it anyway and performed the seal on an unconscious Kurotsuki.

As a result, the tall man was no longer able to access his magic freely at will, thereby limiting his usefulness on the field. He had quit the team and Tsukishiro had followed, not willing to stay on a team that didn’t care for their teammate’s welfare. The team had been disbanded shortly afterwards in any case.

Coming back to the matter at hand, it led to seals. One of the many skills in Albion’s arsenal.

Kurotsuki held no delusions; the teen may or may not have a solution to his problem. He didn’t expect to return to the field at this point, but he could serve as back-up if needed. _If_ he was back to normal.

“You wish to ask Albion if he could help you,” the general said, cutting through the fog of memories. Kurotsuki shrugged uncomfortably, “I suppose so.”

To the standing duo’s surprise, Mikoto chuckled and spoke, directing his words towards the floor. “Well, you heard the man. What do you intend to do?”

Tsukishiro and Kurotsuki exchanged glances and then leant over the desk to see who the general was talking to. Shock ran through them upon seeing Albion seated on the floor, leaning against the side of Mikoto’s chair. The teen didn’t look perturbed at the situation and it spoke of the trust he had in the general to have adopted such a position.

Looks like they had underestimated the connection between Albion and Mikoto.

The teen stood up, this time perching on the edge of the table. He extended a sheet of paper to Tsukishiro and simply said, “The counter-seal.”

“Uh, what?”

“The counter-seal to your problem.”

Kurotsuki blinked, confused. “Hold on, when did you do that? I never said anything to you before! And how long have you known?!”

A slender eyebrow lifted, green boring into brown. “Ever since our conversation that night.”

The older man knew what he was talking about, although... “Don’t you need to analyze the seal?”

Albion shook his head, settling more comfortably on the table. “I had my suspicions from the moment I got a feel of your magic and I’d rather you get that seal off before I say anything else. I assume your friend can do it for you?”

Tsukishiro nodded, ushering the stunned man to a couch by the side. Five minutes later, the job was done and Kurotsuki was staring at his fingers in wonder, magic glowing around them brightly.

“So...do I get an explanation now?” Mikoto asked with wry amusement. His assistants snapped to attention, all traces of entertainment gone and serious expressions on their faces. The trio turned to the Seal Master, looking for answers.

Albion had left his perch on the table to lean against the window, watching the sky with a pensive gaze. “The reason I didn’t confront you immediately was because your case reminded me of something. And I was right; that mission of yours was on public record. Not the seal itself, but the specifics were available.”

“Was that why you had locked yourself up in the archives?”

A deadpan stare was his answer and Mikoto cleared his throat. “Well, alright. And then?”

“I came across that seal multiple times many years ago and it is never used for good purposes. I wanted to confirm everything before I acted. And I was right.”

Tsukishiro leaned forward, curiosity gleaming in his eyes. “What exactly does it do? I couldn’t make sense of it.”

“Not surprising. It’s a three-tier seal and one that was forbidden.”

A sharp gasp escaped the general and he levelled a demanding look at the teen who only nodded. He deflated, slumping back in his chair as he said, “That seal is a cruel one. It drains magic from the person it is placed on and diverts it to another. It was used on traitors but then outlawed since it was so inhumane.”

There was silence in the room for a few minutes while everyone digested that. Finally Kurotsuki asked, “Will there be any side-effects? I’ve had the seal on for almost five years.” They all looked to Albion at that, expectant.

“Why do you look at me like I have all the answers in the world?”

Mikoto grinned, internally delighted that Albion had lost some of the monotone, “Because you do.”

The teen looked like he was about to toss him out a window. Or freeze him. Or whatever. He glared at the older man, green eyes dark with promise as he snapped, “Of course there are side effects. Your recovery time will be extended to twice the normal duration and you need to relearn control.”

“That’s better than what I was expecting,” Kurotsuki said wryly, flexing his fingers as he channelled magic through them. “I suppose I was an easy target back then since I was unconscious and sealing was unknown.”

Immediately, the mood in the room took a nose-dive as they recalled all the events of the day. “Why we are getting so sabotaged despite the situation humanity is facing? I would have expected everyone to stand together.”

Albion shook his head, “You’re leaving out the civilian population. Ninety percent of Moon Garden consists of civilians, out of which only eighteen percent are from outside the Garden. No one really knows the true extent of the danger.”

“That is true...”

“Besides, considering that all the efforts so far seem to be focused on weakening us, we can assume it’s a matter of power.”

“How did you come to that conclusion, Albion-kun?”

“Simple. We are the only defenders and if we were to fall, who would be to blame? And who would the people turn to?”

Horror filling him at connecting the dots, Tsukishiro answered, “The general would be blamed and the people would turn to the civilian council. But they wouldn’t know how to deal with this!”

“You may be right, Kanade, but they don’t know that either,” Mikoto said, intertwining his fingers in front of his face. “Albion’s right; I hold all the military power in my hands and if the council wanted to take over, they would attempt to topple me first.”

“We need to be more careful from now on.”

“Because they’ve already lost some ground, right? The Academy is currently being revamped by Fumihiko and we’ve removed the hold they had on the teams. So it stands to reason that they might get desperate; we don’t know how much influence the council has over the Assist Squad.”

Kurotsuki’s face was hard, “Should we tell the teams?”

The general considered that for a moment and responded, “Negative. We’ll wait for the results from Shiki and Hajime’s investigation and go from there. Our main focus is protecting Moon Garden, be it from internal or external threats. For now, I’ll handle the civilian council. There is no guarantee that no one else is involved.”

“There is every possibility that we’re already infiltrated,” Albion pointed out. “At this point, I would only trust the teams, the Medical units and your own team, Mikoto-san. Apart from myself, they were selected only after much screening.”

“You would exclude yourself?” Tsukishiro raised an eyebrow. The captain didn’t flinch, features closed off, “I was handpicked. And only Mikoto-san knows about me.”

The general sighed, “And you should know that I know that you will never be compromised. Even if I didn’t drag you here, you’d still protect this place in your own way.” Albion didn’t reply, simply accepting the words with a tilt of his head as he stood up. “I have something I need to do. I’ll take my leave now.”

Once the door swung closed, Kurotsuki asked, “You trust him that much, general?”

Mikoto chuckled, “That boy has more loyalty to humanity than anyone else on the planet, Dai.”

“But he refused to join before!”

“For good reasons. I’m certain that everyone has noticed, even if only subconsciously.”

“Albion-kun is...damaged.”

“I wish I didn’t have to agree to that, Kanade, but it _is_ the truth. Albion seems to be healing, though at a very, very slow pace. But that’s not the point. Even if he didn’t join us, he still would have helped if we needed it.”

Kurotsuki and Tsukishiro exchanged glances before deciding to drop the subject. They didn’t know the mysterious teen well enough to judge him anyway. “What should we do now?”

“We wait and prepare ourselves for whatever comes our way.”

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter didn't really have much in the way of action, I guess?


	11. Lessons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone~  
> I'm still alive and kicking~  
> I've been dead for a while, huh?
> 
> Yeah....I know this update is pretty late....
> 
>  
> 
> Sorry....

 

 

 

 

 

The room was small and barren, with only a small table and two chairs on opposite sides. A single lamp hung just above the table, emitting a dim light that barely illuminated the tiny room. An aura of gloom permeated the environment, sending shudders down the spines of any weak-hearted person.

But it suited the purpose of the room; it was meant for interrogations, after all, and therefore served to unnerve the suspect.

Hajime leaned back in his chair, staring at the shackled man seated across him. The chains were intended to seal both magic and physical strength, eliminating any chance of escape. Not that he could take on Hajime anyway.

The prisoner, a middle aged man by the name of Kanagi Sekien, was formerly an instructor at the Academy and one of the people involved in the sabotage of the Selection tests. Because of that, he had been detained for quite a while and now here he was, being interrogated for his role in the illegal seals.

“You can stare at me all day long; I won’t say anything.”

Kanagi scowled, his haggard appearance adding to the effect. But the captain of Six Gravity remained unperturbed, simply raising an elegant eyebrow. Hajime looked completely relaxed, his posture radiating an aura of dominance and power; it was enough to make the man gulp, inwardly cowed by the younger’s mere presence.

Still Hajime did not speak, simply staring at the man and expression not changing in any way.

“Say something, you damned brat!”

The silence had finally rattled him and Kanagi screamed profanities at the subtly smirking teen across him, spittle flying as he raged. Wood scraping over the stone floor shut him up and his head snapped up to see Hajime standing, one hand placed on the back of his chair.

“I would, if I had anything to say to you.”

“Isn’t this an interrogation? Of course you have something to say,” the former instructor scoffed, hatred gleaming in dull eyes. “You precocious bastards always prattle on, never caring whether others want to listen to you or not! You just go on and on, wasting our precious time! It doesn’t matter what you try; you won’t get anything to stick me in prison! Nor anyone else for that matter!”

Kanagi grinned, all teeth and malicious, at the captain whose demeanor remained unchanged. _‘He’s not going to win; I have the upper hand here,’_ he thought victoriously, mentally laughing with disdain.

Then Hajime _smiled_.

It wasn’t kind; oh, it would never be kind, not for one who had harmed those he cared about. No, this smile was dark and sharp, an edge to it that would rip into the deepest parts of a human soul and make them _bleed_.

The sight was enough to make Kanagi shiver, finally realizing that somehow, he had misread the situation completely.

“You’re right; this is an interrogation,” Hajime finally spoke, voice low and dangerous, vicious in a way it never was. “But not for the reason you think.”

“W-What...do y-you mean...?”

Placing a hand on the table to brace himself, Hajime leaned in, his cape swishing forward at the movement and adding to the threatening air cloaking him. He was dressed in full formal regalia, purposely intending to be overwhelmingly intimidating. “I only wanted to know _why_. Why you would endanger the lives of more than a million people.” Kanagi reared back at the sudden proximity, breaking out in cold sweat and almost toppling over his chair.

“I didn’t-”

“Didn’t do such a thing?” Now it was Hajime’s turn to scoff. “I won’t even clarify that, if you’re so stupid as to believe you are innocent.” He straightened, spinning on his heel and walking away from the shivering mess of a man. Just before reaching the door, he stopped and looked over his shoulder, a purple eye glaring at his former instructor.

“You will never be free again; your greed for money and your jealousy of those more successful than you are what condemned you. Consider yourself lucky that you never made it on a team; you would never have survived your first battle.”

There was silence in the dingy room, Hajime stand stock still and Kanagi assimilating what he had been told. But it seems that he had no brain cells left to comprehend his situation, all of it lost to hatred, anger and envy when he shouted, “You can’t hold me here! I am _innocent!_ ”

In response, Hajime held up a transparent orb, red tendrils of magic swirling inside. It was the remnants of the magic that had tampered Sora’s original seal, which Albion had entrusted him to find the culprit. The wispy threads of magic suddenly shone brighter, resonating with its source.

Kanagi Sekien paled.

“You were saying?”

With that, Hajime stepped out, the heavy door swinging back on its hinges with a loud bang and signaling the end of a parasite.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Hajime sighed as he shut the door behind him, locking it until one of the wardens would come and escort the prisoner out. It had been a long morning; he and Shiki had decided to split the interrogations between them, since at least half the Academy personnel were apparently involved in the mess. Even then, that meant ten sessions each.

Kanagi had been Hajime’s last and now all he needed to do was wait for Shiki to finish up. The two would compile their findings and then send it to the general.

_‘This is just stupid...’_

Just as the thought crossed his mind, a familiar magic signature brushed against the edge of his senses and he frowned; what was Shiki doing outside the Containment Centre?

His feet moved subconsciously, leading him in the direction of the older captain while his mind categorized the information he had gleaned from his interrogations, which admittedly, wasn’t much. The cold, crisp air hitting his face pulled Hajime back to reality and he turned to the right to see a transport unit heading inside the building.

Shelving that for later, he focused on SolidS’ captain; Shiki stood ramrod straight, shoulders stiff and features set in a stern glare. But anyone who knew him could pick out the hints of tension, the barely there crease between his eyebrows, the way his fingers twitched.

Something was wrong.

“Shiki-san?”

The purple haired man didn’t turn, a tilt of his head the only acknowledgement he gave Hajime. “Not out here,” he said, leading his fellow captain to one of the private rooms in the East Wing of the Containment Centre. Once they were seated, Shiki spoke, jumping straight to the point, “I actually finished my interrogations a little while before you did; most of them said the same things. But something stood out.”

Hajime waited patiently, not pushing for answers. Shiki would tell him at his own pace.

“This,” Shiki said, gesturing vaguely, “this mess, for lack of better words, has been going on for years. And most of the instructors involved were at the lower levels of authority. How did they go unchecked for so long?”

Hajime caught onto what Shiki was saying and the pieces fell into place. “Someone above them was covering for them.”

A curt nod was his answer.

“I suspected as much when I checked the files,” Hajime admitted. “And the only one I could think of was the headmaster. There had to be more people involved in each level of authority but he had to have been in it as well.”

Shiki let out a sigh, sinking back into the cushions as he intertwined his fingers in his lap. “And you’d be right. I stopped by the dorms to pick up Rui on my way to the Academy since he can sense the emotions of a person and would be able to tell if they were lying.”

“The headmaster was implicated?”

“Yeah. He and the others weren’t directly involved, so there weren’t any traces of magic but they were the ones who were passing orders and preventing anyone from finding out what was happening. All I could get out of them was that a lot of money was involved but the actual mastermind is unknown. None of them ever saw them face-to-face.”

Hajime let that sink in, recalling what he had learnt and comparing it what Shiki told him. “The only ones to gain anything from messing with us would be the Civilian Council,” he said, unknowingly coming to the same conclusion Albion had the previous day in his meeting with the general.

Quirking an eyebrow, Shiki shot a questioning glance at him. “You mean they wish to take over and control us?” When Hajime nodded, he hummed, staring up at the ceiling. “It’s a possibility. The Council had always been a pain before the two divisions split up and vowed not to interfere with each other. But why would these people go along with it?”

“Envy,” Hajime replied promptly, not missing a beat as he continued, “They don’t know the danger we are in. They just want fame and glory; they don’t understand it isn’t an easy task to fight the Vine Puppets while also trying to stay alive.”

All the former instructors Hajime had interrogated had the same gleam of hatred and envy in their beady eyes, looking for a chance to tear down those they saw as an enemy. Such people would cause the shelter to fall from within; they would be doing the Vines’ job for them.

From the look on Shiki’s face, Hajime could tell that the older captain agreed with him. They had to do something to prevent this rot from spreading or all hope for Japan would be lost.

Finally Shiki spoke up, breaking the contemplative silence that had fallen between them. “Let’s just write up our report and send it to the General. We can’t act on our own right now or we risk alerting the Council that we suspect them.”

There was no way of telling how deep the Civilian Council had sunk their claws in and if they exposed them recklessly with no proof, the public outcry would be detrimental to safety. From now on, they had to proceed carefully while playing the dangerous political game as well.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Mamoru stared up at the large white building that belonged to Procellarum and Six Gravity. He was by himself, having told the rest of Growth that he would be fine on his own.

 _‘Maybe I should have accepted Ken-kun’s offer to come with me,’_ he thought, feeling hesitant to go inside a building full of people he didn’t know very well yet.

After breakfast, Ryota had dragged him and the others to their training rooms, intent on testing his sensor abilities. But despite the effort he put in, Mamoru hadn’t been able to use his ability consciously. None of the others could help him, not being sensors themselves. It had been Kensuke who suggested he talk to other sensors in the squads to help get a feel for sensing.

So here he was, feeling mildly faint at the thought of going inside. Just as his courage failed him and he abruptly turned around, a voice called out to him, sounding slightly confused.

“Mamoru-san? Do you need something?”

Iku poked his head out the glass doors of the building, offering a bright grin to the startled older teen. He had spotted Mamoru pacing in front for quite a while, looking ready to tear his hair apart from frustration.

“Ah…well, I wanted to talk to Rui-kun if possible,” Mamoru managed to stutter out, much to the growing amusement of the brunette. He twisted his fingers behind his back, hesitantly smiling back. Maybe he could do this after all.

Shaking his head, Iku stepped out fully and said, “Rui’s not here; Shiki-san took him earlier to help with the investigation. But Haru-san said he was dropped off at the common room a few minutes ago, so I was going to pick him up. You can tag along if you want, Mamoru-san!”

Mamoru nodded, trailing behind the younger brunette when Iku gestured for him to follow. Soon they were at the huge leisure room common to all the teams and sure enough, Rui was curled in a comfy armchair, staring sleepily at Kai and Haru who were having a heated conversation a few feet away from him.

“Hey there, Rui,” Iku greeted, smiling when cat-like eyes focused on him. 

“…Ikkun. Mamoru.”

Mamoru perked up a bit when Rui addressed him directly, returning the greeting. Stifling a laugh at the awkward expression on Mamoru’s face, Iku took pity on him and started the conversation for him by saying, “Mamoru-san wanted to talk to you, Rui.”

“Oh. Okay.”

Blinking and feeling a little off-kilter at the easy acceptance, Mamoru took a seat on the single-seater plush couch while Rui pulled Iku down to cuddle with him.

Mamoru decided to just go for it; it’s not like they were going to hunt him down or anything. “If I’m not mistaken, Rui-kun is a sensor, right?” At the other’s nod, he continued, “I also seem to have some sensing ability but I’m not sure how it works. So I was wondering if you could help me a little…” His voice trailed off at the end, expression hopeful.

Rui straightened a little, leaning most of his weight on his partner as he pondered on what to say. “Sensing…varies from person to person.”

“Varies?”

“…yes. I sense people by their emotions.” Seeing that Mamoru didn’t quite get it, going by his bewildered expression, Rui cited an example. “Sensors pick up information from the magic around them naturally, right? I feel people’s emotions; Ikkun feels calm and happy right now,” cue the embarrassed flailing from said teen, “and you feel confused and lost but faintly content.”

Mamoru stared; that was exactly how his emotional state was at the moment. Was that how his sensing ability worked too? No…it felt off to him somehow.

Rui piped up again, “Yours may be different. That day…you said Kouki’s magic felt muffled and chaotic…but I know I felt it to be worried and sad.” Iku added in his two cents, “I don’t know about sensing but I do know that Issei from QUELL senses magic in terms of colours!”

“Huh…so there are many types of sensing. How do I find out which type I possess? Do I try to sense a single person’s magic and experiment?”

Shaking his head, the petite teen replied, “It doesn’t work that way. A natural sensor is always receiving information from the magic around them and processing it. We just have to do it consciously.”

“Ehhh…I didn’t know that. So that means I’m actually sensing magic right now and just don’t know it?” Mamoru hummed when Rui nodded, and said, “But I’ve always felt Kou-kun’s magic but never anyone else’s. Does that still make me a sensor?”

Rui blinked at the words, straightening a little. He’d never heard of such a thing and could only theorize about it. “…it should. I don’t know why you only picked up on Kouki’s magic though.”

“It’s okay, Rui-kun. Can you tell me how I can use my ability consciously?”

“Close your eyes and focus on the magic around you. Once you do it for the first time, you can do it subconsciously after that.”

Mamoru nodded, following the instructions of his fellow sensor. He knew how to sense magic, something Ryota said comes naturally when a person unlocks their magic. But the thing was, Mamoru was much more sensitive to magical changes which was why it was determined that he was a sensor.

Brushing his wandering thoughts to the side, Mamoru inhaled deeply and let it out slowly. He muted his senses, having still not figured out how to be aware of his surroundings while trying to sense magic. His power also stilled, not being necessary for his current task.

And immediately, his world exploded into colours and sensations.

If Mamoru had been standing at that moment, he would have surely collapsed on the floor at the influx of information that poured into his brain. As it was, he slumped down in his seat, whimpering as he clutched his head.

“…m…ru…!”

A voice called out to him and the distraught teen faintly registered smaller hands covering his own; someone was also rubbing his back comfortingly. He forced his eyes open; his blurry vision allowed him to see that Rui was kneeling in front of him, concern in his features.

“You’re experiencing an information overload. Close all your magic gateways and open them one by one. Slowly.”

The instructions were barely understood but Mamoru gave a slight nod, expression scrunched up in pain. Just as Rui said, he immediately shut down his magic gateways and the flow of information stopped, allowing him some reprieve. Next, he opened one of his gateways, noticing that the input didn’t almost knock him out this time. He continued this process until all his gateways were open.

Iku noticed Mamoru easing up and relaxing and he asked from his position at the other’s side, “Are you feeling better, Mamoru-san? You looked like you were in a lot of pain.” The latter nodded; this time, he could process the information easily and not get a splitting headache.

“What was that?”

“Information overload. It happens when a sensor unlocks all their magical gateways for the first time. I should have told you about that. I’m sorry.”

“No, no! It’s not your fault, Rui-kun!” Mamoru waved off the apology, offering a wide smile. “You were able to help me and now I can sense magic properly! Thank you for your help!”

Rui gave a small smile. “So? What do you sense?”

“Eh…um, how do I know who’s who?”

“Correlate the energy you feel with the person’s magic signature.”

“Okay! Let’s give this a try…”

Mamoru closed his eyes again, finding it easier to focus like that for the time being. He should really practice to get better. No point in having a skill if he couldn’t wield it properly.

_‘Okay, so that’s Rui-kun and that one is Iku-kun…and that’s Kai-san and Haru-kun to my right. Heeeh, this is easier than I thought.’_

“I can sense everyone!” Mamoru said excitedly, expression lit up like a child in a candy store. Rui gave him a slight nod and Iku grinned back, offering a quick congratulations. His fellow sensor spoke up, “Now we have to find out what type you are.”

“Does that have any relevance or useful in any way?”

“It actually is, considering you might have a skill that could help some time.”

Mamoru didn’t exactly flinch, having been aware that Hajime and Shiki had been approaching the room but it was enough to startle him a bit. Shiki had been waylaid by Tsubasa at the doorway, leaving Hajime to make his way towards them.

“Sorry; I didn’t mean to eavesdrop,” the younger teen apologized, taking a seat on the couch. He looked a little exhausted, waving off Haru’s concern and shooing him away back to Kai. Hajime didn’t really need someone hovering over him at that instant.

“It’s fine, Hajime-kun. But what did you mean by that?” Mamoru asked, curious. He got an amused look as a response, the other answering, “Just like you and Rui, I am also a sensor. But my ability varies from Rui’s and possibly yours as well; I identify people by the density of their magic.”

“You mean like how much magic they have?”

“That’s right, unless they have strong suppression seals. I can also detect injuries. Rui can see, or rather, feel the emotions of a person. He can detect lies, which helps in investigations and mine for determining magical and physical fitness of a person.”

Mamoru nodded, letting the words sink in. There were a lot of things he didn’t know. “Then…how do sensors vary from others? I mean, Ryo-kun can detect magic signatures but he isn’t a sensor,” he clarified at the confused expressions.

Hajime chuckled, “Valid question. The difference is that sensors are continuously getting information from the magic around them without any effort. Others need to send out a pulse of magic and they can only detect magic signatures.”

“Oh, like a radar! And they can’t identify other attributes like us!”

“Exactly.”

“I see…so what do I sense?” Mamoru murmured to himself, wondering how he could figure out his ability. Rui interjected, his soft voice calm, “Maybe describe what you sense? We can help you.”

“Okay! Um, let’s see…if I focus on Rui-kun, I feel a sense of calm? Ah, no; it’s more like a neutral sort of feeling…” He went on to describe how he felt about the others, stumbling over a word when he couldn’t get his exact feelings across.

Hajime hummed, leaning back in his seat as he considered the possibilities. “I would guess that you’re seeing the state of a person’s magic, rather their emotions or magical elements.” Rui nodded in agreement, also having come to the same conclusion. “But you should keep experimenting till you’re sure.”

“Okay,” Mamoru agreed easily, feeling pleased at the progress. “But I would like to learn about other sensing abilities. Rui-kun mentioned that some see colours?”

“Can I answer that? I also have a question of my own.”

Issei’s voice called out from halfway across the room where he was curled beside his twin, the large armchair easily fitting both of them. “I am that kind of sensor, after all.”

“If you don’t mind, please!”

“Colours actually come in two categories; one to match their unique magical signature and the other to tell their magical element. I am of the latter type,” Issei stated, dark blue eyes showing a hint of confusion.

“That’s why I want to know; Mamoru-san is a Light Mage, right? Then I should see a golden colour for you. But why do I see earthy green?”

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Kouki, Kensuke and Ryota paused in their step out the joint common room at Issei’s voice. They had come in search of Mamoru since he’d been gone for a while and they were getting worried. It’s not like any harm to come to him in Moon Garden but Mamoru was extremely clumsy and prone to getting into trouble where it shouldn’t exist.

_“That’s why I want to know; Mamoru-san is a Light Mage, right? Then I should see a golden colour for you. But why do I see earthy green?”_

The trio exchanged glances at Issei’s question; none of them had noticed anything off about Mamoru but here was their youngest sensor pointing out something unusual. None of them could answer that.

Judging by the silence in the room, nobody else could either.

Kensuke broke the silence, “Let’s go in and find out.”

Nobody noticed the three step in, all of them focused on Issei who didn’t seem bothered by the attention, as he was staring curiously at Mamoru.

“What do you mean?” Tsubasa finally asked, draping himself over the back of the twins’ armchair, swatting playfully at Ichiru who growled in annoyance.

“Light Magic is perceived as gold, while Earth Magic is earthy green. Mamoru-san is supposed to have gold but…” Issei trailed off, not needing to repeat his words and once again followed by silence.

“Obviously, Earth Magic is his primary element while Light Magic is his secondary.”

Kensuke jumped, whirling around to see Albion behind him, some of the others also startling at his sudden appearance. The white-haired teen seemed unconcerned, a stack of books in his hands. He moved over to where Kai was sitting, placing the books on the table near him.

“Wait, what? Primary element? Secondary? What are you talking about?” Ryota asked, a look of confusion directed at the older teen. Albion paused, hands stilling from sorting the books as he lifted his head to regard him; a slender eyebrow lifted in mild surprise when he noticed the same expression on everyone.

“Do you seriously not know?”

Everyone shook their heads in the negative.

“The element that manifests when a magician first activates their power is their primary element. Sometimes, they unlock another element which becomes their secondary. This is basic; how do you not know?”

Hajime locked gazes with Albion, slowly answering, “Most of our magical education comes from the Academy. And we just learned of sabotage, which has occurred for years.” Shiki nodded in agreement, continuing, “It is likely that some knowledge has been lost from generation to generation. In any case, how do _you_ know?”

“From my family,” came the stiff reply from Albion. As an afterthought, he added, “My family never attended the Academy either.”

 _‘And why was that?’_ Hajime bit back the question that wanted to be spoken, instead taking a second to mourn all the knowledge that was lost due to years of greed and envy on part of less successful individuals. It was Haru who finally asked what everyone else wanted to, “Could you tell us more, Albion?”

Said teen considered them for a moment, acquiescing with a slight nod. He straightened, pulling a magical pen out of his pocket and uncapped it. “In magic, there are four basic elements: Fire, Water, Wind and Earth. Most magicians have one of these four as their primary element.” As he said this, he drew four circles with the images of the four elements in the air with the pen; they shimmered with a pretty silvery blue shade where they floated in the air.

“Then there is Light or Holy and Dark or Shadow, which are special elements. These are very rare in occurrence, but do appear occasionally. Lightning, unlike what most people think, is _not_ an element in itself; rather it has to do with atomic manipulation. It also doesn’t manifest in people, unless they have the special ability for it.”

The boys took that in, the floating symbols making it easier for them to understand. Looking over them, Iku frowned and asked, “Albion-san, what about your Ice Magic? Is it a special element too? Or is it a mix of Water and Wind, like people say?”

Albion shook his head. “No. Ice is a _derived_ element. It only manifests in magicians who have _both_ Water and Wind Magic as their primary elements.”

“Does that mean you can use spells from either element separately or can you use only Ice?”

“The former, since they are independent elements and only form Ice when fused. Sensors would see my magic as blue with a hint of pale green, since Water is more dominant,” Albion said, when Issei opened his mouth, correctly predicting his question.

“Are there any other derived elements?” Haru asked, intrigued by the new information.

“There is Nature Magic,” the white haired teen mused. “But it is unknown since there is not much difference between Earth and Nature. Earth Magic would involve manipulation of the earth, literally. Nature is a combination of Earth and Water; it allows a magician to make use of plant life forms. The reason it is unknown is because people believe it to be an extension of Earth Magic.”

“I can see how that became mixed up,” Kai remarked wryly. Earth did refer to anything from the planet, so it was understandable how people couldn’t separate Nature from Earth.

Kouki asked, voice tinted with concern, “So does this mean that Mamoru has Earth Magic, Albion-san?”

“Perhaps. I would suggest that you look out for Nature Magic as well. There is a low probability, but it is not an impossibility.”

“I understand. Thank you.”

Ichiru raised his hand at that point, waving it like an overeager child in a classroom, “There’s something I want to know! What’s the advantage of having a specific element?”

“Ooooh! That’s surprisingly smart of you,” Tsubasa teased, much to the irritation of the younger Kuga who whacked him on the arm. “Shut up, you!”

“Ahem.”

Albion cleared his throat, raising an eyebrow at the identical sheepish expressions of the squabbling pair. He wouldn’t deny that it amused him a little, but he carefully hid that from showing. “To answer your question, it is a matter of practicality. Spells from your element use less magic to cast and are easier to control as well. If you attempt a spell from some other element, you would use at least twice the amount of magic when compared to the former; it is because raw magic is transformed into the foreign element.”

“Huh…so it would be better to be good at our own abilities rather than try to be a jack-of-all-trades.”

“In a way.”

No one else seemed to have any questions, all of them lost in thought about everything they had just heard. They would definitely be telling the ones who weren’t there about it later. Albion took the silence to be the end of discussion, returning to sorting his books and handing over one each to Kai, Iku and Rui.

“Oh! Are these the next set of spells we need to learn?” Kai asked, thumbing through the pages, Haru peeking over his shoulder with curiosity.

“Yes. I trust you are done with the previous set?”

Rui nodded absently, already nose-deep in his book. The two brunettes however looked a bit sheepish and guilty, Kai laughing nervously, “Haha…I might have not mastered a couple?”

Albion sighed, picking up the remaining tomes. “Finish those as well. Come to me if you need help. And we might as well test your cores for your primary element and secondary, if you have it. Judging by the recent conversation, I can safely conclude you know nothing about it.” With that, he swept out the room, silent as he had arrived.

Once the door swung shut, Haru immediately asked, “Spell training? I thought you mainly used a weapon, Kai.”

“That’s true,” Kai chuckled, sounding bewildered. “But Albion said and I quote ‘If you lose your weapon on a battlefield, you’re dead’ and the next thing we knew, we were having crash courses in magic control.”

Iku added, “Yoru-san and Rui also have to master a weapon. Yoru-san already uses a staff, so Albion-san made him learn to use it in combat. I think he’s also making him pick up a naginata. Rui’s a little physically weak, so he’s being trained in speed and dexterity.”

“My, looks like you guys have a full schedule.”

“Yeah, but it’s worth it! We’re already loads better!” Iku grinned brightly, making Haru chuckle. “I guess Albion knows what he’s doing; he’s pretty powerful with magic and we saw his skill with a rapier the other day. I wonder if he’s been on the battlefield before.”

Hajime caught Kai grimacing at that and asked, “What?”

“Ah, don’t ask Albion anything about his past. The one time we did, he shut down on us completely and it made for quite a few awkward days.”

“Kai-san’s right,” Iku added, a worried frown on his lips. “Albion-san never speaks about himself but we suspect that something really bad happened to him and he doesn’t want to remember it.”

Hajime and Haru looked at each other, a silent conversation flowing between them. Haru arched an eyebrow at his friend, looking rather stern which made Hajime turn away grudgingly, with a reluctant nod. It’s best not to poke at that nest, if it seems so complicated.

Albion was their best combatant, his knowledge and skills far surpassing anyone on the active team. It wouldn’t do any good if they alienated him. If Procella’s suspicions were true and he really did have some kind of dark secret, they could push him away completely if they weren’t careful.

At least for now, they were allies and it was best to maintain that status quo.

But it wouldn’t stop Hajime from picking his counterpart’s brain for more information anyway. Not even the general could keep him doing that.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Koi and Kakeru glanced at each other, then turned in unison to look back at their leader. Hajime was standing a few feet away, sword clutched loosely in his hand as he went through his katas. But that wasn’t what concerned them.

It was the blankness in purple eyes, seeming as if he was somewhere far away.

“Haru-san? Did something happen to Hajime-san?”

Haru blinked at the sudden question, looking up from his book to meet two worried gazes. He frowned, turning to stare at his best friend for a moment before it clicked. “Ah. He’s probably thinking about something Albion said.”

Soon after Procellarum’s captain left the common room, the other occupants also dispersed, intent on sharing the new information with the rest of their friends. Hajime and Haru had found the rest of Six Gravity in one of the training rooms and quickly told them everything. After that, they had scattered, each one doing their own thing.

Chuckling lightly, a mischievous glint entered green eyes as an idea occurred to Haru. The junior pair noticed this and immediately backed up, not wanting to get caught up in one of the other’s pranks. Haru ignored them, picking up one of the balls they used while practicing dodging.

“Uh…Haru-san, you might not want to do that.”

“Well, if our dear King allows himself to be so distracted, then he deserves it, right?”

By this time, Aoi and Arata had caught on, the Water Mage sweat-dropping while Arata ‘aah’ed in understanding. Pulling his arm back, Haru smirked as he threw the ball with full force at an absentminded Hajime’s head.

The sphere soared through the air with unerring accuracy, the younger quartet watching with bated breath to see what would happen.

_*CLANG*_

Unlike what the others thought, Hajime wasn’t unaware of his surroundings. His sharp hearing immediately picked up the swish of the ball as it flew through the air and he reacted instinctively. Angling his sword so that the flat of the blade made contact with the projectile, he hit it back in the direction it came from.

“Eh? Ah, oops- Ow!”

_*BAM*_

The ball hit the centre of Haru’s forehead with unerring accuracy and the tall teen fell back on the floor, losing his balance due to the hit. “Haha…Hajime has no mercy…”

“You deserved that,” Hajime retorted, glaring down at his friend. When Haru threw the ball at him again half-heartedly, he simply tilted his head to the side to avoid it. That’s when something struck him and he froze in place, once again lost in thought.

“Hajime-san?”

When there was no response, Arata said, “Ah, Haru-san broke our captain.”

Said captain twitched before swiveling around to stalk to the wall on the far side of the training room. Haru sat up, staring at the dark haired teen curiously, “What are you doing, Hajime?”

“Daggers.”

“Huh?”

“Daggers,” Hajime repeated, placing his palm on the wall and sending a pulse of magic through it. The wall slid to the side, revealing that it was actually a panel covering something underneath. Rows of weapons were revealed, ranging from blades, to guns and long range weapons like lances. Hajime ignored all of those, picking up a box and retrieving its contents.

“Hajime, what are you doing?”

“Adopting one of Albion’s methods.”

Saying that, he threw one of the items at Haru, quickly followed by another; they were revealed to be a pair of training knives, with a simple hilt and a straight blade. Koi and Kakeru shrieked at the incoming projectiles and ducked, although they weren’t anywhere near them.

Haru, however, panicked for a split second before his brain kicked into gear and he raised his hands, fingers slightly curled like he was about to grab something. His eyes tracked the movement of the knives and his hands shot forward the instant the two knives were in range.

For a few seconds the room was utterly silent; then the bomb dropped and there were shouts; the younger duo was yelling questions, Aoi let out a sigh of relief and Arata stared at the bespectacled teen with a hint of awe.

“…”

The person in question however, was stunned speechless, staring down at his hands which were clenched around the daggers. Haru had caught the small blades perfectly, fingers wrapped around the slender hilts. Shaking himself out of his thoughts, he looked up to meet the gaze of his best friend.

“Hajime, what…?”

Hajime smirked, his lips curled in amusement. “I’ve noticed that you’ve always had perfect aim and excelled in hand-to-hand combat. You prefer not to though, but I agree with Albion; one might lose their weapon or run low on magic. We need back-ups to counter those situations.”

He gestured to the others, “Arata and Koi are fine,” Arata wielded a katana in addition to his Lightning while Koi was a Wind Mage but also used a short sword, “Kakeru uses magical guns, which automatically translates to magical skills and I know Aoi is learning to use his staff as a naginata.” Aoi looked a little sheepish at the comment; it was true, he had been joining Yoru in his lessons with Albion and had actually picked up the basics already.

Turning back to the bespectacled teen, Hajime continued, “You’re the only one who doesn’t use a weapon, Haru.  I don’t doubt your magical ability but I do want you to learn how to use daggers. You prefer to fight from a distance anyway…”

Haru picked as Hajime trailed off, “And the knives could be useful if I get caught off-guard. I could also throw them but getting them back might be a problem...Hmm, I know Eichi-san has some kind of technique to retrieve his arrow, maybe…”

“I’ll leave you to that then,” the captain of Six Gravity chuckled, well-aware that Haru had already sunk into his own world and running through different possibilities. It was also a testament to the faith he had in Hajime that Haru didn’t really question Hajime’s decisions.

Leaving Haru to his thoughts, Hajime turned to the rest of his team. Arata and Koi had started bickering again, this time devolving into a duel. He decided not to stop them, it would count as good training. Sensing his captain’s stare, Kakeru snapped a quick salute then pulled out his guns and ran off to the shooting range.

That left Aoi.

The platinum blonde was shifty, feeling a little guilty. He hadn’t told Hajime that he had been training with Procellarum’s Yoru; it wasn’t a bad thing but it was outside his team and he hadn’t been sure as to how to mention it.

A hand dropped onto his head and ruffled his hair roughly, dragging Aoi back to reality. He blinked, sky blue eyes meeting purple; Hajime’s expression was fond, the lines of his face soft as he regarded the younger teen. “It’s alright, Aoi; I’m not mad. Rather, I’m impressed at your initiative.”

Aoi blushed at the praise, stuttering a little. “I should have said something though…I mean, we’re a team so we should know each other’s skills, right?”

“Yes, but you weren’t exactly hiding it and your new style of training gave it away quite easily. Do you need any help?”

“Umm…” Aoi considered the offer; he could keep joining Yoru and Albion but it would be nice to train with his team too. “Maybe a sparring session now and then?”

“That can be arranged,” Hajime replied. “I could drop a word to Yuki if you want; she would be willing to assist in your training as well.”

“Really? That would be great, Hajime-san!”

Unlike males, females weren’t found on the frontlines often. This was because of the nature of their magic; it was more attuned to healing and defense, so many of them joined the Healing or Defense Corps. The vice versa was also true; males had little to no affinity for healing.

But it didn’t mean the girls were useless at fighting. Combat wasn’t restricted to offensive magical skills and it was far more common to find a female weapons master than a male one. Yuki was one such example, excelling in fighting with a naginata and katana. Tsubaki had developed a unique style of magic, twisting defensive spells to work as offense. She also had deadly skills with a bow, so far known only to be rivaled by Growth’s Kouki.

The girls still remained on base though, where they were better situated to face any problem. Because of this, they were free to impart their skills to others.

Aoi knew the value of learning from Hanazono Yuki; she was praised by many for her abilities, in both weaponry and magic. _‘Maybe I could ask Albion-san if he would allow Yoru to join as well,’_ he thought, the teasing glint in Hajime’s expression telling him that the older teen had already caught on to his train of thought.

Perhaps this could lead to inter-team training sessions.

Huh, that wasn’t a bad idea. Maybe he could bring it up in Gravi and Procella’s next joint meeting. It certainly warranted looking into.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Mori fiddled with the corner of a page from the book lying on his lap, pale green eyes flickering between his hands and his friends. The words had long since blurred, his mind having jumped onto a different train of thought.

About an hour ago, Kensuke had bounded into SOARA’s common room followed by a contemplative Ryota, clearly only there to reign in his friend if necessary. It seemed that they had gotten new information and they had chosen to come over since none of SOARA had been there when Albion had dropped the information rather casually.

Well, it wasn’t quite true, since the most perceptive of the group that had been there, like Hajime, Haru and Tsubasa, had caught onto the underlying tension in Albion’s voice. But they couldn’t tell what had caused it; they didn’t know the other teen well enough for that.

In any case, Kensuke had filled them in, Ryota interjecting whenever he felt it necessary. The final picture had told them that they were severely lacking in both training and knowledge, especially knowledge. It was then that their phones had pinged, alerting them to an incoming message.

Much to everyone’s surprise, it was from Albion and along with a short message stating _“You might find this useful”,_ there was an attachment. It was a file containing digital copies of books with detailed information on what Albion had told them. There was also a list of books that they could find in the library that would act as supplementary reading.

Kouki had come by following the unexpected e-mail, a distracted Mamoru hovering over his shoulder. He had been looking for the rest of his friends and all of Growth had left after a quick conversation. Apparently, they were going to test the limits of their magical abilities and also get into some physical training.

Albion did make a good point when he believed that everyone should be able to fight both magically and physically. Word had gotten around that Hajime had also agreed with that belief and was focusing on training his team in both aspects. If the Black King was on board, it meant that the remaining teams would follow suit quickly.

But that was neither here nor there. What had thrown Mori off-kilter were the words Kouki had uttered.

_“We want to get accustomed to everyone’s abilities, so that we don’t become liabilities in a fight.”_

Mori held a secret, something he had never told anyone so far. It wasn’t something dark or dangerous…actually, depending on the situation, it could become dangerous. Strictly speaking, he didn’t have to tell his teammates about it. There was no rule stating that all the cards had to be shown.

But…

He found that he wanted to.

He wanted to tell his teammates, his _friends._

 _‘I want to tell them,’_ he thought, the words running in a loop within the confines of his mind. Mori looked over his friends, Sora and Nozomu bickering with Soushi while Ren watched them with a despairing expression. His team had been his family for years, ever since he had lost his father soon after his birth and his mother a few years later. They had been at his side come hell and high water; he truly didn’t want to keep things from them.

“Hey, Mori? You alright there?”

“H-Huh?”

Mori’s only reaction was a long blink upon seeing Sora, the other’s face barely an inch away from his own. “Uh, oh, I’m fine.”

“Really?”

Sora pressed closer, eyes squinted in an analyzing glare. He was on all fours in front of Mori who was sitting cross-legged while leaning against the couch. The bespectacled huffed out a short laugh, pushing away his captain gently.

“Yes, Sora. I was just lost in thought.”

“That had to be some interesting stuff though; Sora has been trying to get your attention for five minutes now,” said Soushi, an eyebrow raised in question. It was actually uncommon for Mori to space out so badly.

The blonde looked startled, his hand rising to adjust his glasses in an attempt to buy time. “I guess it is,” he admittedly quietly, green eyes showing his uncertainty. “There’s something I want to tell you guys.”

Nozomu piped up at that point, ignoring Ren’s protests as he draped himself over the silverette’s back, “Oooh, oooh, is it some big secret?!”

It went unnoticed by the three at the back, Sora’s body hiding Mori from a clear view but it didn’t escape Sora’s attention. He said calmly, voice betraying none of the emotions he felt, “He flinched.”

The two words put the others on high alert, all eyes focused on the now sheepish mage. “Mori-senpai?” Ren asked, quiet and uncertain. “Are you alright?”

Mori could have laughed at that moment, struggling to hold back the deluge of emotion that struck him. Of course his friends would jump to conclusions and think that he was in some kind of trouble, rather than assume that he was hiding some nefarious secret.

They really did trust him a lot.

Soushi narrowed his eyes at one of his best friends, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned back against the foot of the couch. “Mori? I think we know you well enough to believe that you wouldn’t hold back information unless it was for a good reason.”

“So if you’re mentioning it now, you want it to be known! So spill!” Sora pointed a finger at Mori, sitting back on his haunches. The position took away the threatening effect though, making it look as if he was pouting instead of glaring.

Not that Mori was going to point it out.

“Haha…” Mori laughed nervously, raising both hands in a surrendering gesture. “It really isn’t something bad; it just has to do with my abilities. A special ability, I guess.”

The others remained silent, listening intently. Their serious stares were unnerving but Mori pushed through.

“It comes from my mother’s side of the family…she was the one who told me to keep it a secret. But…I trust you guys with my life, so I want you to know.”

“Mori!”

“Mori-senpai!”

Sora and Nozomu threw themselves at the startled mage with yells, who fell back with a grunt. Mild relief came over him when Soushi and Ren pulled the two off, offering him encouraging smiles and corralling the rambunctious pair.

“Go on, Mori.”

“Ah, right...where was I?” Mori cleared his throat, mind back-tracking to where he had stopped. The genuine feelings of his team had thrown him off a bit, but he supposed he wasn’t too surprised.

_‘Now I’m just stalling. Best if I get it over with.’_

“Mom was worried that we’d be taken advantage of if others knew of our ability. It isn’t something big…or so I think. But it has to do with a healing factor. You see, I can link myself with others magically and transfer their injuries to myself. Please don’t interrupt,” Mori held up a hand, seeing the others open their mouths and smiling when their jaws clicked shut.

He continued, “That’s where the healing factor kicks in. I would heal almost instantly from the injury I take on, so it doesn’t really hurt me much. But that doesn’t mean I can do it indefinitely.”

There was silence as the members of SOARA took in Mori’s word, turning it over in their minds and putting a few puzzle pieces in place. “That’s why you avoid taking damage, isn’t it?” Soushi’s question sounded more like a statement, already sure of the answer. “Your healing factor doesn’t only apply to transferred injuries.”

“That’s right.”

“Um, Mori-senpai?” Ren called out, raising a hand in question. “Is it because your mother was afraid you’d be taken advantage of that you were told to keep your ability a secret? Because I can kind of see the Civilian Council demanding you to…well…”

He didn’t need to finish, everyone knew the situation well enough to understand that the Arihara family would have been ordered to subject themselves to experimentation.

“Does anyone else know?” Soushi asked finally, breaking the grave silence that had fallen over them. There was no way he was allowing his friend to be used as a lab rat by obnoxious, pompous fools.

Mori considered the question and realized he didn’t have a concrete answer. “I think General Tsukino might know, although he hasn’t shown any indication of it. I think he does, it would answer some of the weird things that have happened around me.”

It was true; anytime Mori ended up in Medical for some reason, only Yuki or Tsubaki had been allowed to treat him. And that was for serious injuries, minor ones had been brushed aside as superficial. He thought that the leaders of Seleas and Fluna at least suspected something off but they were sworn to secrecy regarding special abilities and they could be trusted for their integrity.

Soushi nodded, expression hard. “Well, no one will learn anything from us.” Ren and Nozomu echoed the sentiment, similar expressions on their features. Nozomu especially understood, knowing very well how the Civilian Council would treat Mori if they got their hands on him. His brother had told him a bit about the civilian authorities in a disgusted tone and he’d know them pretty well too, considering that Nanase Izuru worked with them.

“Your secret’s safe with us, Mori-senpai!”

“Sora-senpai, is something wrong?”

Ren’s worried query made them look at their captain, who had been oddly silent. Sora was glaring down at his lap, eyebrows creased in thought. He didn’t react to their stares and instead chose to meet Mori’s gaze.

“Hey, Mori? Your healing…it relies on your magic, doesn’t it?”

“Uh, yes…”

“Then, I want you to promise me something.”

Staring at the austere expression on the usually cheerful teen’s face, Mori nodded, stunned speechless. He wasn’t looking at his friend but rather at the captain who had been handpicked from hundreds of candidates. Sora wasn’t actually known for his combat skills, but rather for his quick mind that could devise multiple plans in the blink of an eye.

This was the master strategist who had created the best defense strategy for his father’s team at the tender age of six.

“I don’t want you to use your ability on us now that we know about it. Promise me that you won’t do it unless there’s no other way,” Sora demanded, voice low and authoritative. “If your healing ability depends on your magic, it could easily kill you if you transfer serious wounds when you’re running low on magic.”

“But-“

“Mori, please.”

Brown eyes softened, almost pleading as Sora stared at his best friend and closest confidant. “You are _not_ dispensable. We don’t want to lose you. I know I can’t stop you from helping us if you think we need it, but I want to think carefully about it before you do it.”

Mori actually hadn’t considered that point and he could admit to himself that if Sora hadn’t pointed it out, he would have healed even the most minor of injuries just because he could. But they had medics for that. He could simply be a last option.

“…okay, I promise.”

Sora brightened, all traces of his earlier expression vanishing as he grinned. The others couldn’t help but smile at the sight. Sure, the serious persona was a part of Sora but it wasn’t what they were used to and it was originally born out of a need to protect himself after Sora lost both his parents. They didn’t want their leader and friend to lose himself in a mask, hence keeping him happy and cheerful.

“Well, that’s that,” Soushi said, patting Mori on the shoulder as he got to his feet. “Anyone up for some training? I could use a sparring partner.”

“Hell yeah! I want to fight against Soushi-senpai! Pick me, pick me!” Nozomu shouted, grinning wildly. He dashed forward, grabbing Soushi’s arm and dragging him towards their training grounds.

Ren ran after them, worried and mildly exasperated, “Nozomu, don’t be so reckless! And Sou-nii, why are you encouraging him?!”

Mori chuckled to himself, a small smile curving his lips. His team was amazing; they had already put aside what he just dropped on them, choosing to be as they always were instead. He wondered why he had thought his secret would change things.

A hand entered his vision and he followed the arm up to the owner to see Sora smiling down at him. “Coming, Mori?”

“Yeah.”

Mori accepted the gesture, letting Sora pull him up. His worries were swept away by the carefree attitudes of his friends and he found himself relaxing as he followed Sora, explosions and shouts filling his ears, telling him that Nozomu and Soushi had already started fighting.

They would be just fine.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Right, I didn't say anything at the start since I think you guys would have preferred to just read the story instead of listening to me ramble, so I'm putting it all here.
> 
> To be honest, this chapter was started long ago and was almost complete weeks ago except for the last few bits. But I was suddenly swamped in a lot of work, in other words, paperwork. I've started a second degree so I'm back in college and will start working soon as well. So I had to complete the paperwork for that and also for my graduation and it took longer than I expected. T.T
> 
> I just hope I won't be in such a situation again, because paperwork is hell....
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> As an apology, I'm giving you two chapters in quick succession! The next one is already complete and will be up in a day or two! 
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> For those who are following 'Catch Me Before I Fall', I'm sorry to say that it will take a while for me to update that one. I'm very sorry!


	12. A Shared Past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Thanks to everyone who commented on the last chapter! I'm glad that you all loved it~
> 
> And as promised, here's the next one~  
> I think this is the longest chapter ever till date o.O
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> Enjoy reading!

 

 

 

 

“We don’t mean to undermine you, but surely you can understand that we are worried; if the quality of training has indeed decreased, then how can we be sure that our safety is guaranteed?”

_‘Of course you mean to undermine me; why else would you call this meeting?’_

General Tsukino bit back an irritated scoff, interlinking his fingers and raising them to hide the lower part of his face. He sat stiffly in his chair, eyes trained on the Head Councilmember, Urayama Michio, of the Civilian Council across him. The man’s beady eyes barely hid the glee at having supposedly one-upped his rival, further annoying Mikoto.

“It is one of our concerns as well but our investigations have concluded that only theoretical knowledge has been withheld. This can be easily corrected; in fact, measures have already been implemented and the cadets are currently filling in the gaps in their education. I can assure you that they will be at their best soon.”

He conveniently left out that some lost facts (now revealed thanks to Albion) would have actually helped the boys unlock their special abilities sooner.

 _‘It’s not like these idiots would understand anyway,’_ Mikoto thought with an internal grin at the constipated look on Urayama’s face. The other council members exchanged uneasy glances, slowly coming to the conclusion that they won’t be able to shake the general today.

Urayama had not taken the humiliation, as he had perceived it, well and shot up, his chair falling with a loud bang and slammed his hands on the table, “But you should never have allowed it to get so bad!! That’s on you!”

The occupants of the room flinched, except for the military personnel -namely, Mikoto and his assistants- who had seen the move coming from far away. Kurotsuki shifted subtly, rearranging his stance to a defensive one while Tsukishiro and Haizuki looked unconcerned. Their only reaction was the sharpening of their gazes, letting the civilians know that any violent actions would not be taken lightly.

“Please refrain from damaging the furniture, Councilmember Urayama. Our limited resources should not be wasted so carelessly.”

An angry flush crept up the pudgy man’s neck as he grumbled and straightened his chair, sitting back down. “Well?! We want answers!”

“We do not answer to you.”

The cold and sharp retort stunned the room into silence as Mikoto rose gracefully, his chair sliding back silently, in clear contrast to Urayama. “The military is under my control and you have no jurisdiction over us. I only acquiesced to this meeting because both sides need to work together but we do not influence the other. Any actions I take need not be approved by you.”

Mikoto paused, letting his gaze sweep over the stunned Civilian Council. He rearranged his expression to look haughty and condescending as he continued, “This is your only warning: should you once again attempt to control me, the consequences will be dire. We do _not_ need you.”

Tuning out the indignant but incoherent sputtering, he strode out followed by his assistants. He should probably give them a raise, he mused absently, the trio was somehow turning out to be his bodyguards as well. Not that he needed it, but…well.

Only when they were out of the building did the general slump, all the tension draining out from his frame. He felt slimy and his skin itched, an aftereffect of dealing with the idiots on the Civilian Council. He had no idea why they still existed; they were mostly redundant anyway.

“Are you alright, sir?”

“I’m fine, Kanade,” Mikoto rubbed his face, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Although I might need a shower.”

The last part was said humorously, accomplishing the intended effect of making them laugh. None of them wanted this meeting but they had to send a report to the Civilian Council as per regulations. If he had told Haizuki to not include a few impertinent details, that was their business.

“Anyway, status report, Fumihiko.”

The man adjusted his glasses and looked down at his tablet, frowning. “All the units have reportedly caught up on the basics they were lacking, thanks to Albion’s timely input. Their results in combat simulations have shown a marked 37% increase and their training is going well. The inter-team sessions have been showing improvement in coordination, much more than initially expected.”

Aoi had put forth his suggestion and had been accepted wholeheartedly. The sessions weren’t limited only to sparring and training but also to team bonding exercises. Although all the boys knew each other already, it was more on the scale of acquaintances. The casual gatherings allowed them to get to know the others better and as a result, trust was built on a deeper level.

“That’s good. At this point any improvement is good.”

It was true; after this little show, Mikoto had to proceed with caution if he didn’t intend to tip off the Council about his off-the-record investigation about them. They weren’t the only ones who had inside men in the other faction; the general had his own people amongst the civilian government, but they were there to monitor only and keep an eye on any irregularities.

 _‘The kid gloves are off,’_ General Tsukino decided, _‘if they so blatantly cross the lines, then so can we. Those fools don’t know what they’re messing with and I don’t want to wait for the consequences to hit just to prove them wrong.’_ He hoped that it wouldn’t come to that though.

“General?”

“Hmm?”

“Is it wise to antagonize the Council? I mean, they don’t have any power over us but we can’t afford to have civilians turn on us,” Haizuki said, concern in his voice.

“It isn’t wise, no,” Mikoto agreed, a bitter smile on his lips. “But not for the reason you think.”

“What do you mean?”

Kurotsuki interjected at that point, grinning a little, “I forgot that you originally aren’t from Moon Garden, Haizuki, but the thing is, the people don’t actually follow the Council.”

“Huh…?”

“Haizuki-kun, all the people in Moon Garden come from different shelters, right?” Tsukishiro waited until Haizuki nodded and continued, “Because of that their loyalty lies with the heads of their respective former homes.”

Mikoto chuckled at the dawning realization on his youngest assistant’s face and added, “And who do we have on our side?”

“Tsubasa, Shu, Hajime, Sora and Kouki are all in the military,” Haizuki murmured incredulously. Almost all the leaders were the current heads of their families and had owned their own shelters before they fell. Shiki didn’t have his own but the Takamuras were actually co-rulers, so to speak, with the Okui.

Albion was a mystery like he always was, but that was no surprise. He was too powerful and protective of Moon Garden to side with the Civilian Council.

Oblivious to Haizuki’s thoughts, Kurotsuki nodded, “Yeah, so that base is covered. The only thing we need to worry is about innocent casualties. There are some who can be bought, as proved by the recent incident and we need to watch out for those. They might involve the public in a hostage situation or something if we’re not careful.”

“So try not to corner our prey before we’ve closed off all possible escape routes?”

“That’s an odd way of putting it, Tsukishiro, but yeah, pretty much.”

“But are we sure about that though? The public’s reaction, I mean,” Tsukishiro started uncertainly, as he remembered something. “Albion-kun mentioned that only eighteen percent of Moon Garden are from outside, and that’s actually a small number. I’m sure that the Head Families might have a little sway on the others, but…”

Mikoto interrupted, “I understand where you’re coming from, Kanade, but leave that to me. _If_ it ever happens.”

The three younger men looked uncertain, but nodded. The general shot them a faint smile, his thoughts already elsewhere.

They actually had an ally in this situation but it was a secret to everyone except to Mikoto himself and two others.

_‘I wish that it won’t be necessary, but I have a feeling that it would sometime soon…’_

A beeping sound from Tsukishiro’s phone startled them and said man fished the device out of his pocket and swiped the screen. He frowned at the alert, blinking a bright red. “Sir, I think we have a situation.”

All the men shifted to attention, focused on the issue at hand. A gesture from the general had Tsukishiro continuing, “It’s a message from the Observations team; apparently, they received a distress signal five minutes ago. They’re attempting to track it right now and are requesting your presence.”

General Tsukino rubbed his face in frustration; he didn’t need this right after that awful meeting. But _this_ was their _job_ , the one thing they had sworn to do. He couldn’t falter now.

“Fumihiko, tell SOARA and Growth to prepare for a mission and alert the other units to remain on stand-by. Dai, I want Seleas at the teleport point and Fluna to prepare for any emergencies. Kanade, with me. You have your orders. Go!”

“Yes, sir!”

The men saluted and took off in different directions, all of them focused completely on their task. Mikoto headed towards the Control room, Tsukishiro at his heels.

“Status report!” he barked out, once the duo reached their destination.

The technicians saluted and their leader, a woman by the name of Shibuya Yurisa stepped up as the others returned to their duties.

“Sir,” she greeted solemnly. “Ten minutes ago, our receivers picked up a faint transmission; it had a timestamp so we were able to determine that it was sent just seconds earlier. Upon analysis, we found that it is actually a live transmission so we can be sure that it isn’t an old message. Would you like to see it?”

“Project it.”

Yurisa nodded, tapping on her console. The main holographic screen lit up, pulsing a soft pale yellow.

_SOS…SOS…70…please…help…_

“Is the message incomplete, Yurisa?”

“It seems so, sir. We believe that the ‘70’ refers to the number of people that are calling for help.”

“A possibly correct conclusion. Do we have coordinates?”

Yurisa nodded, pulling up the report of her team’s analysis and pointed at the bottom. Mikoto scanned it, eyes widening as bells rang in the back of his head. Behind him, Tsukishiro inhaled sharply.

“Sir, these coordinates are…”

“I’m aware. Kanade, please arrange for accommodations for seventy people. I can manage the briefing on my own.” The bespectacled man nodded, spinning on his heel to walk out the room. The general turned to the woman, who stood at attention, awaiting new orders.

“Yurisa, keep monitoring the signal. See if you can see out a drone in advance. We need as much information as you can get.”

She gave a sharp nod and returned to her team, calling out orders and causing controlled chaos as some of the technicians ran off to prepare the drone. Mikoto watched for a few minutes before walking out, heading to his briefing with ALIVE.

_‘Those coordinates…is it a mere coincidence or fate?’_

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

It was silent, an eerie and unsettling silence that permeated into their minds and made them nervous. The only sounds were the faint noises produced by the boys’ cautious steps over the rough terrain.

Sora and Nozomu had taken their positions as their eyes in the sky, flying high up to look for any irregularities. The rest of SOARA had spread out in different directions and were analyzing the best path to their destination.

Kouki frowned a little, mind not really focused on the task in front of him. He had been a little out of it ever since the general told them of the mission. If his suspicions were proved true…

“Kou-kun?”

The blond startled, head snapping to the side to look at a sheepish but concerned Mamoru.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. But Kou-kun, are you okay? You’re acting a little weird.”

“Ah…you noticed?”

“Kou, it’s obvious to everyone. What’s wrong?” Ryota asked as he came up to the pair, Kensuke behind him. Growth was waiting on stand-by on a hill, until SOARA came back with reports of their reconnaissance.

“I…”

Before Kouki could say anything, Nozomu dropped down from the sky and grinned at them, wilting a little when Ryota shot him a mild glare. “Hey guys! Sora-senpai’s calling for you all to join us at the bottom of the hill.”

“You’ve finished scouting? Wow, that was fast!”

“Yep! We’ve gotten a lot better!”

Nozomu laughed proudly before taking to the sky again, this time in search of Ren. The members of Growth looked at each other in bewilderment and then shrugged, choosing to slide down the slippery slope.

Mori was waiting for them at the bottom with a smile, greeting them quietly. “Sora should here soon with Sou,” he said, just as Ren and Nozomu dropped to the ground beside them with a low thud. A few minutes passed in silence, the boys forming a circle facing outwards, on the lookout for any danger.

“They’re here!” Kensuke called out, pointing up. Sora took that moment to release Soushi, the dark haired teen huffing in amusement as he landed in a crouch to minimize the impact. The captain of SOARA circled the air above their heads a few times, staring into the distance before landing as well.

“So? What did you find?” Ryota asked, getting straight to the point. It was dangerous to linger around in the open where there was always a possibility of being attacked. Also, the longer they took, the more danger the survivors were in.

“I didn’t see any obvious signs of human life but I’m fairly sure that they’re here.”

“Yeah!” Nozomu agreed, bouncing in place and brimming with energy. “I found some fresh footprints and weird marks on the rubble.”

Mori added in his two cents, “There should be a magician or two among the group as well; I detected traces of magic in the area.” Soushi nodded in agreement, “I noticed that too. It would explain how such a large group managed to evade the Vines for so long.”

“They’re probably in the ruins,” Ren said, causing the two teams to look in the direction of said ruins. It was an old shelter, long since abandoned and partly destroyed. “I checked out the walls but the supports seemed too weak for me to go in…but I did see footprints!”

“If you can give us directions as to where you found them, it would be appreciated, Ren,” Kouki said with a small smile, making the younger teen flustered.

“O-Of course!”

“I think only Growth should head inside,” Sora suggested. “From what I saw, most of the ruins are unstable and we’re not equipped to handle stealth.” Soushi seconded the statement, adding, “We’re better at watching for ambushes and reconnaissance. We’ll do better checking the surroundings while you guys check out the shelter.”

The group of nine huddled together for a quick planning session and split up, each unit scattering to perform their assigned tasks. SOARA separated, each member going solo and positioning themselves in a pentagon some distance from the ruins of the shelter.

Growth slowly approached the broken walls, their expressions betraying nothing as they searched for a way in.

“Guys, over here!” Kouki, Ryota and Mamoru looked over at the call to see Kensuke crouched down, staring at something in the ground.

“What is it, Ken?”

“Hey, Ryo, doesn’t this look like a seal?”

The silverette peered down at what his friend indicated. It was small, but upon closer investigation it was obviously a seal carved on a piece of broken plaster. “Yeah, it is. I can’t tell what it is for though.”

Kouki placed a hand on Kensuke’s shoulder, nudging him out of the way and knelt next to the discovered seal. Blue eyes narrowed, picking out the rune for **‘Illusion’** which sparked an idea. “Mamoru? Can you do something for me?”

“What is it, Kou-kun?” The older teen approached his leader, head tilted to the side in question.

“Can you sense any magic from this?”

“Yes, I can…I think this is what Morihito-kun meant about ‘traces of magic’.

Ryota caught onto the reference and asked, “What do you mean by that?”

Mamoru closed his eyes, stretching out his senses as far as he could and replied, “I can pick out pinpricks of magic surrounding the ruins and they all are from the same person. At first glance, they look randomly placed but they actually form a pattern.”

“Can you draw the pattern for me? I think I know what this is.”

“Of course! Give me a minute.”

A few seconds passed in silence as Mamoru drew something in the sand. Once he was done, he explained, “The circle is the ruin and the dots are the points where I sense magic.”

Kouki thanked him before concentrating on the diagram, mind forming conclusions in a split second. “Whoever did this is probably at Seal Master level…but with low magic.”

“How’d you figure that out, Kou?” Kensuke asked, standing on guard but also listening to the conversation.

“This is a series of interlinked seals that use minimum magic to sustain for a longer time. If they were a stronger magician, they would have used a single large seal to perform the same function.” As he said it, the blonde connected the dots, forming two overlapping hexagons.

“Alright, but what does it _do_?” Ryota asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Misdirection. It basically tells anyone caught in its thrall to look the other way. We’re stronger so we weren’t fooled by it, but I suspect it should be enough to thwart any Vines for a while.”

“Oh, that’s ingenious. I wonder who did it.”

Kouki turned back to the ruins towering over them, “They should be in there…Mamoru, I doubt the seals will affect your sensing so do you think you can find us a way in?”

“Already did!” Mamoru chirped with a beaming smile. “Most of the destruction we see appears to be an illusion but once we step inside the walls, it shouldn’t affect us anymore.”

As the four proceeded along the path Mamoru indicated, Ryota asked the question that had been bothering him, “Hey, Kou?”

“Hmm?”

“Do you actually know sealing?”

The captain shook his head and answered, “Not really. I can identify mid-level seals and perform a few of my own but I can’t design new ones. Not like Albion-san can.”

Ryota considered that for a moment before asking, “Can you teach me a little? After we get back.”

“Of course, Ryo.”

“Hey, you two! Hurry up, you’re falling behind!”

“Hold your horses, Ken; we’re coming.”

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

The inside of the ruins was more dismal than it seemed on the outside; not due to the destruction but rather what it represented: a loss of safety and protection.

Houses were broken, some pieces of furniture scattered all over the place and shattered utensils littered the ground, crunching under their feet with every step taken. Kensuke shuddered; this place was like his nightmares come true. “I wonder how the people who lived here felt when the shelter’s protections failed…”

Kouki, Ryota and Mamoru were a little ahead of him, looking for clues to proceed. They had lost the tracks about twenty minutes in and had resorted to manually combing through the debris but had had no luck so far.

Surprisingly, the best out of them at finding places to walk without dislodging the debris and finding hints was Mamoru. He was light on his feet, nimbly flitting from place to place as he looked around. It was funny in a way; put him in a casual setting and he would be all left-feet but Mamoru was just amazing on the field.

But it was also morbid; it was clear that this ability of his, was born out of a desperation to survive and not leave traces while travelling. Mamoru took it in stride though, using all his skills to help and not dwelling on the darker aspects.

“Hey, Ryo-kun; what’s this?”

Mamoru’s voice drifted through the air and Ryota turned around, walking closer to see what the older mage was talking about. Pink eyes widened in surprise as he stopped in place, stumbling over the loose stones. It caught the attention of the remaining two of Growth; Ryota _never_ stumbled.

Kouki and Kensuke looked at each other for a second before they made their way to their friends, reaching them just as Ryota spoke, voice filled with a hint of awe, “It’s a Memory Flower.”

“Wait, seriously?!”

Twisting around Ryota’s frozen form, Kensuke peered ahead; it was true, much to his shock. A glowing rainbow colored flower sat innocently in the sand, its petals wrapped tightly. “Wow, it’s prettier than I expected…”

“Um, what’s a Memory Flower?” Mamoru asked sheepishly, staring at the awed trio. It was Kouki who answered, still in a trance, “It’s a very rare magical artifact, only found in places which meet the requirements. There has to be a strong memory associated with the place and should contain a lot of magic.”

Ryota took over the explanation, having regained his composure, “The person or persons associated with the contained memory can activate it but anyone within a ten meter radius can view it.” When Mamoru looked confused at the last part, he added, “We see it as if it is happening around us but we can’t affect it. Time is also frozen, meaning we could watch an hour long memory and not even a second would have passed in the real world.”

Brown eyes sparkled in awe at the explanation, Mamoru turning back to look at the magical flower in a new light. “I would never have suspected a flower like this to have such a special power.”

“Might as well take it with us,” Kensuke said, frowning a little in thought. “I doubt we’d find the one the memory belongs to, but there are ways it could be misused.” Mamoru nodded in agreement, reaching out to pluck the flower. That was when the strangest thing happened.

The Memory Flower glowed brighter.

“Wha-?”

“Mamoru?” Kouki frowned in concern, also reaching out for the flower. But when his fingers touched the stem near Mamoru’s own, a burst of magic exploded from the flower. Wind whipped through their clothes and right before their eyes, the flower bloomed and a white glowing sphere floated just above the petals.

The next instant, the world was washed in white and the members of Growth blinked. “W-What was that?” Mamoru stuttered, a little scared but mostly shocked. Kensuke stared at where Mamoru and Kouki’s fingers were still in contact with the flower and replied dumbfounded, “I think it’s the memory…”

Ryota stared at the pair speculatively, “Have you and Mamoru met before, Kou?”

Kouki straightened, extending a hand to pull Mamoru up as well who held the now blooming flower in his hand. “I don’t think so…or I don’t remember…”

“Mamoru?”

“I don’t know either…sorry, Ryo-kun.”

“Well, we just have to watch the memory to find out. You two don’t mind, do you?”

“No, I think it’s okay,” Kouki replied, looking around as colors began bleeding into the white. The rest of the boys also started checking their surroundings. Green eyes narrowed, Kensuke stared at the buildings forming in the illusion created by the Memory Flower. “Say, Ryo, doesn’t the architecture match up exactly to this ruin?”

“You’re right, Ken. I noticed that too.”

The scene was finally revealed to be a beautiful day, the sky a clear blue -although it was artificial- and the buildings were tall and painted white, with splashes of color here and there. It was aesthetically pleasing and the air was crisp and clean which could be easily attributed to the many trees lining the streets of the shelter. From what they could tell, the boys were standing in a garden of sorts, judging by the flowering archway over their heads and the various plants all around them.

The highlight of the place was the purple flowers in full bloom on the vines draped over the roofs of all the houses as far as the eye could see.

“This place is-”

“Wisteria Arcadia…”

Kouki blinked, head snapping to the side. It was Mamoru who had spoken, a wistful expression on his face. A smile tinged with melancholy curved his lips as he took in his surroundings with an aura of a deprived person.

“How’d you know that, Mamoru?”

“Oh! I was born and raised here, Ken-kun.”

“Heeh, that’s amazing! And also a little sad…. But Kou, you seemed to recognize it as well.”

The combined effect of three intent and curious stares snapped Kouki out of his trance, “Ah sorry, what did you say, Ken?” Kensuke repeated his words, sounding amused.

“Oh…Wisteria Arcadia belonged to the Etou Family. In other words, it’s mine.”

A moment of stunned silence followed that statement, all three boys staring at Kouki with bewilderment. “This place is yours?!” Kensuke yelped in surprise.

“Yes. But I was taken to Moon Garden soon after I was born and only visited Arcadia once. So I don’t remember it much.”

“Hmm…did you know we were coming here for our mission then?”

“I suspected, Ryo,” Kouki admitted. “I recognized the coordinates but I wasn’t certain until we actually stepped inside.”

The four boys were quiet after that, waiting for the memory to progress. Because they were watching closely, all of them noticed immediately.

“Is that…?”

 

 

 

_A little boy, appearing to be around eight years old, stepped into the archway. He was carrying a bucket of water, moving carefully so as to not spill the liquid onto the ground._

_“Ah…made it! Just a little further!”_

_Pushing the strands of burgundy colored hair out of his eyes, the child walked slowly into the deepest part of the archway. He stopped in front of a line of plants, a sad expression on his features._

_“They’ve gotten worse…”_

_It was true; the plants were wilting, most of the leaves had already turned brown and shriveled up. The rest seemed to be going the same way. He didn’t want the plants to die; they were really important to him!_

_“Come on, little plants, grow big and strong,” the child sang in a tear-filled voice, pouring the water from the bucket. His actions were clumsy and some of the water splashed onto his shoes and the stones of the pathway. Once the bucket was empty, he crouched next to the plants and stared at them._

_“Why…why are you dying?!”_

_It was a heartbreaking scene, the little boy crying into his knees in front of a line of wilting plants. He was alone with no one to comfort him, his small shoulders shaking with the force of his sobs._

_Suddenly, there came the sound of leaves ruffling and the boy startled, jumping to his feet in a panic. “Who’s there?!” His voice was hoarse and broke on the last syllable._

_There was more ruffling and then a small, pale hand appeared on the archway before a head of blond hair popped into view. “Hello…”_

_The newcomer had clear sapphire blue eyes, but they shone with worry as his hands tightened on the archway. “Are you okay? I heard you crying,” he said quietly. With that, he stepped into full view._

_The burgundy haired child stared at the other boy, who looked to be younger than him. He hastily wiped his eyes with his hands and pointed to his plants. “They’re dying…” With that, he turned his back to the blonde, focusing back on the plants._

_“What kind of plants are they?” the younger boy hesitantly walked closer, coming to a stop next to the crouching child. He was silent for so long that the boy was about to give up hope for an answer when a faint whisper reached his ears._

_“…pachira.”_

_“Oh.”_

_The two children sat quietly for a while, simply staring at the plants. Finally the older boy spoke, “Some of the other kids called me an idiot…for taking care of dying plants. But I don’t want to stop.”_

_He didn’t get a reply; the blonde instinctively knew that he only had to listen and kept quiet._

_“I don’t have a mommy or daddy, you know? It’s just me…. But the nice lady at the orphanage told me they loved me very much. Daddy planted them when I was born! And Mommy took care of them…until they both died. This is….this is all I have left of them…I don’t even know how they look-!”_

_With that, the eight-year-old burst into tears again. This time, he wasn’t alone, as the younger child reached out to pat his back softly._

_“It’s okay,” he said, when the older had stopped sobbing. “I don’t have my Mama and Papa anymore too.”_

_Startled, brown eyes met sad blue, the two children finding a connection in their shared sorrow. They were just children, but their loss had made them grow up much faster than normal. The blonde continued, taking the other’s hand in his own and holding it tightly, “You’re not alone. I’m not; I have someone with me and you do too.”_

_Blinking, the eight-year-old thought back to the people he knew, all the people who supported him and finally smiled. “Yeah…yeah, I’m not.”_

_Smiling, both children turned back to watch the plants, still holding hands. “I still wish the pachira were okay, though,” the older boy murmured, reaching out with a finger to stroke one of the still-green leaves. A little pause later, the blonde copied his actions, gently petting the leaves._

_Suddenly, there was a green glow enveloping the plants, glowing brighter and brighter until the children had to close their eyes to shield them from the glare. Once it died down, they opened their eyes and were shocked, doing a double-take._

_The plants that were dying were now back in full health, the leaves lush and green. The branches were strong and sturdy again, new leaves sprouting from them. The pachira looked like they were never dying in the first place._

_Gaping, the burgundy haired child cautiously poked one of the leaves, as though afraid that the slightest touch would break the illusion. But nothing happened. The plants were still green and beautiful._

_“How…? Did you do something?”_

_His answer was a shake of his head, the blonde looking as bewildered as he was. But like the children they were, the confusion gave way to joy, bright smiles stretching across their faces at the miracle._

_“Whatever happened, I’m happy! The pachira are okay now!”_

_The children reveled in their happiness for a little while longer, the older boy grabbing the startled younger and spinning them both around in circles. When he finally stopped, he gave a brilliant grin and said, “I’m Fujimura Mamoru! What’s your name?”_

_“…Etou Kouki.”_

_Neither child noticed the thin, sparkling green thread of magic connecting them._

 

The memory faded, the surroundings returning to their former ruined state as the illusion broke and time ticked forward again. Yet it seemed like the clock was still frozen for the four members of Growth; they stood still, not moving a hair until Kensuke broke the silence.

“So…that happened, right? I wasn’t hallucinating? Or maybe dreaming?”

“If you mean if I also saw young Mamoru and Kou, yes; yes, it did happen,” Ryota answered absently, still processing what he had just seen. It was understandable, since it was something none of them had expected.

Mamoru stared at the Memory Flower still in his hands, brown eyes wide with shock and surprise. The flower was closing, the white sphere of magic sinking back inside and the petals closing around it. He cleared his throat, trying to find the words to say what he was feeling.

“…I didn’t really remember that until now. But I do know that I treasured the pachira a lot more suddenly. Did you…did you know, Kou-kun?”

Kouki shook his head in the negative, staring down at the Memory Flower in Mamoru’s hands. “I think I was too young to remember much. I was a little over six when I visited Wisteria Arcadia; it must have happened then.”

Having gotten over the unexpected event, Ryota smiled wryly at his friends, “So we can safely say that meeting Mamoru wasn’t a coincidence.”

“Huh?”

He got three confused looks at that and he chuckled in response, “Did you notice how the plants regained their vitality?”

“It was obviously magic, but…”

“That’s right; it was magic, specifically Mamoru’s, boosted by Kou.” At the still-present expressions of confusion, Ryota sighed in exasperation. “Kou, you said you unlocked your magic at four, right? And your primary is Nature Magic?”

“Yes, that’s right…” Kouki trailed off, eyes lighting up in understanding. “You don’t mean…?”

Ryota nodded. “I do.”

“Okay, can someone explain to the class please?” Kensuke pouted at being left out, crossing his arms over his chest. Mamoru still looked lost, staring at Kouki like a confused puppy.

“Sorry about that, Ken,” Kouki said apologetically. “I do know that it wasn’t my magic that healed the plants but it seemed like it sparked awake Mamoru’s magic and resonated with his core. It was actually him who did it.”

Mamoru looked startled, finally getting what had happened, “If that was resonance, then I have Nature Magic as my primary? …oh.”

“Look at you! Aren’t you a strong one! Both Nature and Light!” Kensuke grinned, thumping Mamoru on the back and making him stumble. “This does explain a lot! Like why Mamoru is so attuned to Kou and why he was able to sense him even when Mamoru didn’t activate his sensing yet.”

“It does,” Ryota agreed. “It’s also an answer for why Issei sees your magic as green.”

“Huh…”

The boys took that in, finally smiling tiredly as they got past their shock.

Kensuke suddenly panicked, “Guys, our mission!”

Rolling his eyes, Ryota smacked the back of his head lightly, “Ken, we were in a memory; barely, five minutes has passed.” The blue haired teen calmed down, rubbing his neck sheepishly, “Oh, yeah. Right, forgot about that handy aspect.”

Kouki smiled, shaking his head fondly. “We should get going though; we can talk about this later at home.”

The others gave firm nods, focusing back on their task. Kensuke couldn’t resist one last jibe though, “By the way, you guys were cute kids~”

“Ken-kun!” Mamoru whined, blushing in embarrassment and pouting as he put the Memory Flower carefully in his pocket and returned to looking for clues. He was still overwhelmed by what he had seen a few minutes ago but managed to put it aside in favor of their mission.

A flicker of magic brushed past his senses and Mamoru stilled, trying to home in on the source. Pinpointing it, he stepped closer to Kouki and tapped his shoulder. “Kou-kun, there’s someone here.”

“A hostile presence?” Kouki asked, one hand reaching for his bow. He relaxed when Mamoru shook his head and replied, “No, the signature matches that of the seals we found earlier. And…” he squinted a little, peering in the direction where he sensed the magic signature and added, “Another person joined them now.”

Kensuke and Ryota approached the two, having overheard the conversation. “Should we go to them?” Ryota asked, staff in his hand but posture relaxed. Kensuke was also battle ready, palm resting on the hilt of his sword. “I say we should; if they’re not hostile, then it’s likely they’re part of the group we came to help.”

However, the decision was taken from their hands as two heads popped up over a broken wall and stared at the group with equal parts hope and distrust. “Who are you guys?” asked the one with sandy brown hair, standing slightly in front of the other.

“We’re the Infiltration and Retrieval Unit, Growth, from Moon Garden,” Kouki replied, offering a small smile to the two tensed strangers whose eyes widened, features momentarily slacking with shock before filling with a desperate hope that took the boys aback.

“Really? You got our message?” the young man with dark green hair whispered, taking a shaky step forward and almost collapsing on the ground with relief when Kouki nodded, only held up by the other who started panicking.

“Oi, Minato! Hang in there!”

The members of Growth rushed forward, although staying a few steps back so as to not to crowd him. “What happened?” Mamoru asked worriedly, extending one hand tentatively.

“You guys found the seals around this place?” the unnamed brunet asked in a tight voice. “He’s been powering them for almost two days.”

Kouki turned to Ryota, who immediately understood his captain’s silent request and knelt in front of the pale Minato. “May I?” Obtaining permission in the form of a terse nod, Ryota waved a hand over the other’s still form, casting a diagnostic spell. He stared at the readings he got, a small crease forming between his eyebrows.

“He’s clearly got magic exhaustion but his body is also worn out. Mamoru, you know how to transfer magic, right?”

“Y-Yes, Ryo-kun!”

“Then channel a little of your Light Magic through him; it should tide him over till we can take him back to Moon Garden.” Light Magic was the only element of magic that could be transferred to another person without ill-effects on either side.

“Right!”

Mamoru took Ryota’s place in front of Minato, taking one of the other’s hands in his own. He closed his eyes, reaching inside himself for the golden magic that filled him with warmth and pulled it out, letting it flow through their linked hands and into the green haired man.

A few seconds passed before Mamoru withdrew, his Light Magic strong and so potent that a small amount was enough to revitalize the exhausted man. Dark green eyes fluttered open and Minato stared up to meet five worried gazes.

“Um…hello? I’m feeling better now, but could I have some space, please?”

His companion laughed, the sound warm and relieved, “You idiot; I thought I almost lost you.” With that, he pulled Minato into a hug, gripping the back of his shirt tightly as he pressed the head of dark green hair into his shoulder.

“...sorry, Wakatsuki-san.”

The two parted, the brunet throwing one of Minato’s arms over his shoulder and helping him up. He looked to the waiting quartet, throwing them a weak grin that was less cheer and more relieved, “Thanks for coming when you did. The name’s Wakatsuki Hinata.”

“And I’m Mochiduki Minato. Thank you for your help!”

After a quick round of introductions, Kensuke jumped to the matter at hand and asked, “When we got your message, the number 70 was in it. We thought that meant there were seventy people…”

“That’s right. They’re this way,” Wakatsuki said, walking towards the square and gesturing for the boys to follow. “All of us were from the same shelter, the one that was destroyed little over a year ago.” Kouki and the others nodded in understanding as Mochiduki continued, “We managed to get some people to safety using the emergency teleportation seals but it wasn’t enough for everyone, so we’ve been on the run since then.”

“Well, no longer,” Ryota said firmly. “You’re going home, Mochiduki-san, Wakatsuki-san.”

Mochiduki smiled wistfully, “Home…that sounds like a forgotten feeling.”

“I know the feeling,” Mamoru spoke up, voice tinted with understanding and smiling at the surprised pair. “I was also fleeing from the Vines until a few days ago. I lost everyone who was with me…but Kou-kun found me and everyone helped me find a home at Moon Garden.”

“Are there…” Wakatsuki hesitated then pushed on, “Are there others like us at Moon Garden?”

Kouki nodded, “There are, Wakatsuki-san. A lot of the smaller shelters started falling rapidly once the main shelters were destroyed…so we’re still looking for survivors.”

“I can see that.” Huffing out a short laugh, Wakatsuki looked at Growth speculatively. “You guys aren’t the only ones, are you? Out on the field, I mean.” Kensuke chose to answer that, “Yep! There are six active combat units, two medical units and two research units but they rarely return to base.”

“I see. Anyway, we’re here.”

The group had arrived at the square; it was mostly clear of debris, with only the broken fountain in the middle which must have been beautiful at one point. But there was no sign of humans.

“Oh! The underground bunker!” Kouki perked up in realization, striding forward and running his fingers along the base of the fountain, looking for something.

Mochiduki looked at him curiously, asking, “How did you know that?”

The blond blinked then turned a sad smile on the green haired man, “Wisteria Arcadia was supposed to be mine to protect.”

Realization struck, Wakatsuki exclaiming, “Then you’re from _that_ Etou family?! Huh, I thought no one survived.” Upon noticing Kouki’s inquisitive look, he explained, “My wife was from Arcadia.”

At that moment, the fountain started moving, Kouki having found the secret key and triggered it. It rose a little in the air and hovered for a bit then moved to the side, revealing a set of stairs. Soon a crowd of people came out, shifting uncertainly while Wakatsuki and Mochiduki introduced the boys and explained the situation. It was obvious that the two were leaders of some sort.

“So, what now?”

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Sora turned around when he saw the flare go up and grinned, punching the air in triumph. That particular color meant that the survivors had been found and it was time to go. Thankfully, it had been peaceful so far and there hadn’t been any signs of the Vine Puppets in the vicinity. SOARA, who were playing sentinel, were definitely happy with that.

As planned, he took to the air, flying off to retrieve Mori and Soushi, while Nozomu took Ren. Ever since the seal was removed, Sora found that his control over his magic had improved and he had more magic than ever. Because of this, he could easily carry two people by manipulating the winds and so he was retrieving both Mori and Soushi at the same time.

He found Mori first, who raised his arm as the redhead swooped down at him. Sora didn’t miss a beat, grabbing his hand and soaring back up into the sky. Mori chuckled, the wind ruffling his hair, “You’ve gotten better, Sora.”

“Well, the captain can’t fall behind, can he?”

Soushi was picked up in quick order and then the trio was hurtling through the air at high speeds towards where they had seen the flare go up.

“There!” Soushi yelled over the wind, pointing down at where a group of people were gathered. Sora slowed, landing gently on the ground next to Ren and Nozomu.

“Hey guys! Is this everyone?”

Kouki stood up, finished with binding a woman’s wrist. “Sora,” he greeted, “Everyone is accounted for. We should prepare the teleportation seal.”

General Tsukino had followed through on his idea of getting Albion to make a new teleportation seal. It was better than the old one, which had required a long time to prepare and had to be activated at the destination. This had many problems, since a message needed to be sent to HQ to start the preparations; it took longer than optimal since cellphones didn’t work outside the shelter and a magical communication orb had to be used.

The new teleportation seal was much more efficient, in terms of both magic usage and time. It required four Magic Stone engraved with the seal and placed at the corners of a diamond formation. Channeling magic through all four stones would activate the seal, which would then draw ambient magic and amplify it. The diamond could be of any size and anyone standing inside it would be teleported to the intended destination, along with the engraved Magic Gems.

They were multi-use as well, which made them very invaluable for the ALIVE units in case of unexpected situations.

“The seals are in place, Kou!” Kensuke called, straightening from placing the last Magic Stone in the ground. Growth took their places, each in front of a Stone, standing inside the diamond. SOARA scurried forward to ensure that all the survivors were firmly inside the seal and that no one was left behind.

“We’re clear!” Ren called out, moving to stand just outside the group as SOARA formed a circle around the people. Kouki nodded, catching Ryota’s eye who passed on the message to Mamoru on the other side of the diamond and then to Kensuke.

“Three…two…one…go!”

In unison, the four sent a pulse of magic into their respective Magic Stones; the crystals glowed, shining silver lines connecting all four. A wall of magic grew from the lines, towering over the group as runes slithered in patterns at their feet.

A flash of light and they were gone.

When Wakatsuki opened his eyes, rubbing them to get rid of the spots, he found that he was in a large room with a high ceiling. Growth and SOARA were already moving, Kensuke ushering Mochiduki to a young girl with long white hair who immediately called for a stretcher and took him away, ordering another girl with deep blue hair to go with him.

The room was filled with action quickly, four of the remaining five girls tending to the ones who had minor injuries and Tsubaki picking out those who needed more medical attention. Those people were carted off immediately, the ALIVE units assisting with that.

Wakatsuki hadn’t needed any medical attention, so he was left to his own devices with the instruction to stay put in the room until everyone could be taken to their new accommodations. To him, it still felt like a dream; he couldn’t truly believe that their days of running for their lives were over.

“Hey, you alright there?”

Soushi approached the man, quirking an eyebrow in question. Letting out a disbelieving chuckle, he replied, “Yeah…it’s just hard to take in. Everything changed in a less than a minute…”

“I can’t say I understand, but there are people who could help. Mamoru would definitely be willing.”

“He told me about his circumstances.”

“His rescue was…painful,” Soushi decided on the word after a moment of contemplation, running a hand through his hair. “So he understands better than most.”

“Yeah.” Wakatsuki looked around, feeling lighter upon seeing his friends scattered around the room. He at least had them, unlike Mamoru and knew he was very fortunate. “I think I’ll be fine…soon anyway.”

The pair stood in companionable silence until Ren called for Soushi to help. Wakatsuki waved him away, settling back to wait.

“Senpai? Is that you?”

Jerking around at the familiar voice, Wakatsuki stumbled in shock as he stared at the newcomer who stood frozen in the doorway. “D-Dai?”

Kurotsuki leapt forward, steadying the older man who grasped at his arms like a drowning man. “Yeah…it’s me.” He managed a weak smile, “You sure took your time coming back.”

The other let out a startled laugh, “Sorry about that. At least I’m here now?”

“Better late than never?” Grinning at his long-lost friend, Kurotsuki said, “Welcome home, Senpai.”

“…I’m home.”

Smiling knowingly at the tearful words, the dark haired man added, “Your wife will be overjoyed to have you back.” Wakatsuki stilled at this, not daring to hope. “She’s safe?”

“Yep. She was in one of the groups that managed to teleport here before your shelter was destroyed. I’ll take you to see her once we’re done here; I think you’ll appreciate the surprise she has for you.”

Wakatsuki brightened, nodding eagerly. He knew he was acting like a hyper child as he pestered Kurotsuki to hurry up, but he couldn’t help it. First, he was saved and then was reunited with his old friend only to learn that his beloved was still alive and well.

This was the best day ever.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

**“Aqua: Water Blade!”**

Kai swung his spear in an arc, channeling the magic for the spell through it instead of simply casting it. A blade of water swirled out of the tip of the spear, growing along the arc and shooting towards a cluster of Vines. They fell with loud screeches, their torsos cut off from their legs. He jumped back, just in time as a sheet of ice covered the fallen creatures and froze them in place before shattering into a million ice shards.

The tall brunette grinned; he loved this particular combo he had developed with Albion. The white haired teen preferred using his magic rather than getting physical while Kai was the opposite. So he would weaken the enemies and Albion would finish them.

Ducking to avoid an arrow, Kai used his spear as a vaulting pole and leapt into the air, landing next to his partner. Albion looked as unruffled as ever, directing a hail of icicles to pierce another group of Vine Puppets with ease. _‘This guy…does he ever get flustered?’_

Stifling a chuckle, Kai looked over the battlefield, checking on the rest of his friends. Soon after ALIVE had set out, another alert had sounded. This time it was a group of Vine Puppets; they had appeared around a hundred miles away from Moon Garden, much too close for comfort. Procellarum had been the ones sent out, having shown the most improvement and teamwork amongst the remaining four teams.

Kai attributed it to Albion’s straight-from-hell training; the captain could be a strict taskmaster when he wanted to be. They weren’t entirely without backup; a drone was monitoring them, Six Gravity on standby in case Procellarum required assistance.

“I don’t think we’ll need help though,” he murmured, taking a quick look at his teammates as he cut down another Vine.

Jabbing one of the creatures with his sword, Iku deflected a blade with his shield and sidestepped as Yōu slashed that Vine, flames covering his blade and the crimson stones on the hilt drawing glittering patterns in the air. The two swordsmen stood back to back, watching for the Vines’ next move.

“Is it just me or do these things seem weaker than last time?”

Iku chuckled at Yōu’s comment, as the redhead charged forward with a scowl, trusting Yoru to watch his back. “I don’t think so, Yōu-san; we’ve gotten stronger. We shouldn’t let our guard down though!”

As he spoke the words, a stream of fire shot at his face but the brunet didn’t even blink. A translucent turquoise green shield shimmered into existence around him, the flames disappearing upon contact. An unearthly wail split the air before being cut off, the Vine falling to the cracked ground in pieces.

“Ikkun, are you okay?”

“I’m okay, Rui! Your shield was perfect!”

Rui smiled slightly at his partner, descending from the air to hover next to Iku. The battle was winding down, so he didn’t need to provide aerial support anymore. He raised his hand, palm up; a miniature tornado formed, picking up speed as he added a little more magic to it.

**“Wind: Howling Gale.”**

The tornado ripped through the battlefield, tearing the monsters apart before they even had a chance to avoid the attack. Rui might be the quietest of the group but he was just as ruthless as the rest of them.

Yoru paused when wind ruffled his clothes, turning around in time to see the magical tornado passing by, a few feet away from him. “Rui sure likes this spell a lot,” he laughed a little, returning to his own fight. Ever since Albion had started training him personally, he had picked up a lot of Light spells and he was capable of Purifying Light Magic, just like Growth’s Mamoru.

He didn’t have the magic reserves to perform very large scale techniques yet but his leader was certain he’d eventually reach that point. Until then Yoru would stick to what he could. Absently sending a lance of Light at a Vine trying to sneakily approach him from the back, he narrowed his gaze at the redhead who was cutting down the creatures left and right.

Was it just a trick of the light or was Yōu slowing down?

The Fire Mage was visibly pale, sweat beading on his forehead and soaking through his clothes, stark against the white cloth. Every swing of his sword appeared to be forced, his casting sluggish and noticeably weaker than usual.

“Yōu? Are you alright?” The Light Mage asked, approaching the redhead while casting a barrier to surround them. The redhead slumped, thankful for the brief reprieve. He wiped his forehead, panting a little as he replied, “I don’t know, Yoru; I was fine for a while, but suddenly I got tired. It’s like the energy was drained from me.”

The last few words were spoken loud enough to reach Albion’s ears, who was standing only a few meters away. He turned around sharply, lime green eyes taking in Yōu’s exhausted state.

_‘Yōu has more stamina than that; what’s going on?’_

Feeling a faint flicker of concern, the captain of Procellarum activated his Magic Sight; at first glance nothing looked out of place, then he saw it: a faint line of magic linking Yōu with everyone else in Procellarum. He poked at the line connecting himself, analyzing it. There was no effect on him, most likely due to the nature of the protective seals Albion had on himself but he couldn’t speak for the others.

Yoru was the closest to him and since he had a barrier shielding from the battle, Albion chose to focus on the Light Mage first. He analyzed the magic linking him and Yōu, picking it apart to the innermost workings. What he saw did not please him.

“Stay still, Yōu.”

“Huh?”

Ignoring the Fire Mage’s confused questions, Albion abruptly cut the magical links, making sure that there would be no backlash against Kai, Iku and Rui. Those three were still fighting and a distraction was ill-recommended. Like a marionette whose strings were cut, Yōu dropped to the ground with a groan. Yoru followed him down, reaching out to touch his best friend.

“Ouch! He’s burning up!” Yoru yelped, snatching his hand back with a pained hiss. The captain knelt at Yōu’s other side, placing a hand on his forehead ignoring Yoru’s worried warnings. Inexplicably, the redhead relaxed marginally at the light touch and forced one purple eye open. “So? What’s the problem?”

“You somehow magically linked yourself with all of us,” Albion informed him, expression stern. “It seemed to transfer your energy to us.”

“Huh, explains why I suddenly felt so tired…but why the hell am I burning up?!”

Even while not in his best condition, Yōu was quite the spitfire.

“Containing magic within a human body requires a certain level of physical energy. Your magical levels exceeded your physical levels, thereby burning you up from inside.”

Yoru panicked at that. “Yōu’s not going to die, is he?!”

Albion shook his head, smoothly rising to his feet. “No, but he will be in significant pain for a while. Coat your hand with Light Magic and pass it over his skin; it should help.”

“Um…Albion-san, I’m not a healer…”

After all, males can’t use healing spells even if they had Light Magic.

An almost incredulous look was directed at him at the words, the captain striding away as he said, “Healer or not, Light Magic is soothing by nature. It won’t heal Yōu, but it will ease the pain for a while.”

The battle ended quickly after that, all of them intent on getting back and seeing to Yōu. Albion teleported everyone back to Moon Garden, directly into the hospital wards. He knew that Mikoto would have already known something was wrong, thanks to the monitoring drone and would have sent word to the Medical Units.

Wakaba was waiting for them when they arrived, helping them place Yōu on one of the beds. She forewent the sheets; they would feel like they were strangling him. Running a few tests on the now unconscious redhead, she frowned. She had never seen anything like this before.

“Haduki-san’s energy is very low,” Wakaba told the boys, still frowning. “Any idea as to why?”

Yoru explained what Albion had told him earlier, much to the girl’s consternation. “Well, he’s right. I wouldn’t worry about any damage to his body from the excess magic but it will be a few hours before he’s back to normal.”

“Do you know why this happened?” Iku asked, concerned for the older teen. The girl shook her head. “I won’t claim to know all about magic but I’d hazard a guess that it’s some special ability. No idea what it is though.”

At that moment, the door to the room was opened and Chisa poked her head in. “Wakaba, are you done? Growth and SOARA are back, and with a bunch of people too. Yuki-san asked you to come to the main ward if you can.”

“Well, I…” Wakaba hesitated, looking at Procellarum. Albion waved her away, removing his coat and taking a seat next to Yōu’s bed. “Go. You can’t help here and you’re needed elsewhere.”

The young girl looked conflicted for a second then nodded firmly, following Chisa out the room and shutting the door quietly.

“What do we do, Albion?” Kai asked, looking between his captain and the figure resting on the bed. Yōu was still lost to the world, but even while unconscious he looked defiant.

“…we wait.”

Hours passed by, silence prevailing in the room and the air charged with worry. The general dropped by once, having a whispered conversation with Albion and leaving almost as quickly as he had come. When night fell, Kai ushered Iku and Rui to bed, the youngest duo almost dead on their feet. It wasn’t an easy task, the two of them wanting to be there for their friend.

A stern look from their captain quieted them and they left, promising that they would be back first thing in the morning. Kai didn’t bother moving Yoru.

Around midnight, the door creaked open and someone came in, footsteps quiet as a cat.

“Albion.”

“Hajime.” The white haired teen inclined his head in greeting as the other captain stopped next to him. Hajime took in the sight, smiling slightly at Yoru whose head was resting on the bed, having fallen asleep sometime ago, a hand holding on to Yōu’s. The redhead looked a lot better, his skin color having returned to normal and expression no longer distressed. He still had a frown though, although that might have been due to the discomfort produced by the unnatural temperature his body was still emitting.

He did raise an eyebrow in question upon noticing Albion’s hand resting on Yōu’s forehead, the pale skin standing out against the tan features of the redhead. What truly caught his attention was the way the other captain’s hand was glowing a faint silvery blue.

“Kai told me what happened. Are you…?” Hajime gestured to the hand. Albion sighed and nodded, “I can’t do anything to help him heal sooner but my magic can soothe the pain more effectively than Light Magic.”

“Due to your contrasting natures.”

Albion’s Ice Magic had already proven effective in suppressing even the hottest flames, taking down Tsubasa, Nozomu and Yōu combined during a practice session. This would be ridiculously easy for him.

“Yes.”

The pair remained in a comfortable silence, only broken when Hajime asked another question. “Do you know what caused this? The energy link?”

“No.”

Albion had to consciously stifle a smile at the disbelieving look Hajime shot him, turning away to hide any amusement that might have shown on his face. He was slipping with his emotions more often lately.

“Contrary to popular belief, I do not, in fact, know everything. Given time, I can find out, but I don’t know anything right now.”

What Albion wasn’t telling but evident, was that he had been by his teammate’s side the whole time, seeing to his comfort rather than go hunting for information. It was rather telling; Albion of the past wouldn’t have bothered, would have left Yōu in the care of the Medical Units and gone to do his own thing. He certainly wouldn’t have sat still in a room for hours, spending magic for an ultimately useless task.

Hajime wondered if Albion himself had realized how much he’d thawed. He decided to keep that to himself, finding himself drawn to his counterpart and wanting to know more about the other. They were so different, yet so alike. Hajime found that he had been viewing Albion as a friend recently, rather than just a simple ally.

Smiling to himself at the unexpectedly pleasing thought, he moved to the supply closet in a corner of the room and pulled out a couple of blankets. Hajime draped one over Yoru’s shoulders, tucking the corners in so that the cloth wouldn’t slip off sometime during the night. The other blanket was for Albion, who shifted obligingly when Hajime approached and allowed him to slide it over his body, dipping his head in thanks.

His job done, Hajime stepped back, pausing for a moment at the doorway.

“Good night, Albion.”

The soft reply drifted through the air just as the door was closing.

“…good night, Hajime.”

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part of the credit goes to my beta LittleChibi1009, for the name Wisteria Arcadia~  
> I obviously wanted 'Wisteria' and my lovely beta came up with 'Arcadia' 
> 
>  
> 
> So, what did you all think about this chapter? Quite a lot of time has passed in the story so I thought it would be nice to bring in a little more plot and some backstory. (I'm trying to keep things like they would be in real-life (even though this is very fantastical) so add in a pinch of politics and some power-hungry idiots)  
> I'm sure my feeble attempt to add in Fluna and Seleas has been noticed...I honestly don't know much about them except for the few Twitter posts I've read and their brief appearance in the anime. That's why, if anyone notices anything off, do tell me~
> 
>  
> 
> On another note, the next chapter might be up mid-August (if I'm lucky) or at least end of August. Since I try to make each chapter almost 10k words in length, it does take a while to write.


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